Get Thin at Last

Why wish for a pricey tummy tuck or liposuction to get rid of bothersome bulges when there are now healthier, easier ways to trim down? The latest research reveals you can transform into a sleeker, fitter you just by…

1. Outsmarting hunger hormones with the new sweetner. Oligo-fructose—a sugar alternative made from chicory root—is the latest and most delicious slim down trick. In a recent study, overweight men and women who consumed about 4 tsp. Of the sugary tasting sweetener daily for 12 weeks lost 2.2 pounds. That’s more than a 4- pound loss in six months.

Why it works: lowers levels of the appetite boosting hormone and raises level of the hunger suppressant hormone peptide YY.

2. Erase cellulite with a study-proven cream. Frustrated by those dimples on your thighs, buttocks, and hips that just won’t disappear? You’re not alone. Nearly 90% of women have cellulite for a simple reason: Estrogen traps fat in these areas. Try rubbing your thighs with a topical cream made with a fat-blasting trio of plant compounds.

Why it works. Ingredients override estrogen’s effect on cells, telling them to stop storing fat and to break down the fat they already contain.

3. Banishing belly bulges with blueberries. Not only do these succulent summer berries sharpen your memory and preserve your vision, researches now know they also help you shed pounds effortlessly. In a University of Michigan study, animals fed a diet supplemented with blueberries lost more weight around their midsections than animals that ate the exact same diet minus the berries.

4. Maximizing your workout with a Chinese herb Shisandra (also spelled schizandra) a woody vine with red berries that’s native to northern China, has long been used as an energy tonic in Eastern medicine. New studies show it also stimulate the nervous system, giving you quicker and stronger reflexes.

Why it works; The herb improves breathing, lowers blood pressure and improves circulation by dilating blood vessels—which, in turn, boosts your endurance so it’s easy to exercise longer and burn more calories. Options include Nature’s Way Schizandra Fruit or Paradise Herbs Schisandra at PhysiciansFormulas.com

5. Revving fat burn with sweet red peppers. An astounding 34% of adults are likely to develop metabolic syndrome—a condition that raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes and more. Luckily, researchers have pinpointed an easy way to dodge it—eat more sweet red peppers, tomatoes or watermelon. All are loaded with lycopene, and antioxidant-rich plant pigment that makes women half as likely to have belly fat of metabolic disorder

Why it works—Lycopene destroys toxic free radicals that can slow down your metabolism. Try enjoying three to five servings of lycopene-rich fruits and vegetables daily.

6. Curb snack attacks by sleeping. No this doesn’t mean to take a nap every time you are tempted to hit the fridge, though I’ve tried that tactic myself a time or two. What it really means is to get a solid seven to eight hours of shuteye won’t just boost your energy, strengthen your immunity and clear your head. New research from Walter Reed Army Medical Center reveals it will help you shed weight more easily, too. Indeed women in the study who slept at least seven hours every night weighted an average of 20 to 30 pounds less than those who slept fewer hours.

Why it works: Skimping on zzz’s lowers production of leptin, a hormone that makes you feel full. Without enough, you crave extra food to feel satisfied.

Snack for your health

Exercise alone won't help much in your struggle to lose weight. In fact, it is more important to eat well in weight control than exercise. Eating well is a lot harder to do in this fast paced, fast food world. Here are a few little steps we can take to eat less while adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Snack healthy

Strategy #1--Try a raw vegetable platter made with a
variety of vegetables. Include some good fiber choices:
carrots, snow peas, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans.

Strategy #2--Make sauces and dips with nonfat plain yogurt
as the base.

Strategy #3--Eat more fruit. Oranges, grapefruit, kiwi,
apples, pears, bananas, strawberries and cantaloupe are all
good fiber sources. Make a big fruit salad and keep it on hand
for snacks.

Strategy #4--Plain, air-popped popcorn is a great low-fat
snack with fiber. Watch out! Some prepackaged microwave popcorn
has fat added. Remember to go easy on the salt or use other
seasonings.

Strategy #5--Instead of chips, try one of these low-fat
alternatives that provide fiber: toasted shredded wheat Squares
sprinkled with a small amount of grated Parmesan cheese,
whole-grain English muffins, or toasted plain corn tortillas.

Strategy #6--When you are thirsty, try water, skim milk,
juice, or club soda with a twist of lime or lemon.

By decreasing fat and sodium in your diet and increasing fiber while planning menus that are high in fiber and low in fat, especially saturated fat, you may reduce
the risk of disease for yourself and for those you love.

So Snack Well, Eat Healthy... And Eat For Life!

Supplements Save Lives

Wish you could enjoy fantastic health without the work? Now you can. The key is getting enough of the nutrients proven to help protect every cell in your body from the damage that can lead to everything from weight gain to heart disease to cancer to premature aging. What’s more, you only need to pop four supplements to reap these benefits.

1. Halve your cancer risk with vitamin D. Few of us have enough spare time to bask in the sun sun long enough to make sufficient vitamin D in our skin. Consequently nearly 80% of Americans are deficient. Even if we’re getting the present RDA –--200 IU daily for women under 50 and 400 IU after that—--research suggests that’s less than half what’s needed for optimal health. Studies indicate that bumping up your daily dose to 800 IU could cut your risk of cancer and heart attack in half, slow the progression of arthritis by 67 % reduce bone fracture risk by 33%, and slow the aging process by up to five years. Amazing. Every cell in your body needs vitamin D to function at its peak and repair day-to-day damage.

2. Burn extra fat with fish oil. We’ve known for years that fish oil helps prevent blood clots, strokes, even depression. It can even lower total cholesterol by 19%. New data shows it also helps dieters lose up to twice as much body fat each week. Fish oil reduces cellular inflammation, one of the key triggers of body fat formation. It also shuts down your brain’s production of hunger promoting hormones fr up to six hours and activates your liver’s fat-burning genes. Who doesn't love the sound of that?

3. Halt heart disease with magnesium. This mineral keeps more than 300 health boosting enzymes in your cells functioning at their peek, according to the author of the Magnesium Miracle. “Yet due to depleted soils 80% of women are deficient.” Taking a magnesium supplement daily could decrease your heart disease risk by 76%. Recommended: 400-500 mg. Food sources; green veggies, whole grains, nuts and legumes.

4. Stop germs cold with green tea. Thanks to the brew’s polyphenols, people who drink green tea daily or pop a green tea extract fend off five time more dangerous viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Those same polyphenols also disarm dangerous free radicals, resulting in a 30% lower risk of certain cancers, a 65% lower risk of high blood pressure and stroke, better blood-sugar control and fewer wrinkles and sagging. Sipping several cups daily even slows brain aging by 54%, according to researchers. No wonder lovers of green tea tend to live 16% longer than average.

Check out these supplements and more at Blue Spring Wellness or by clicking the picture above or link to the right.

Food for thought--Food for success

I received an email yesterday from the P90x team at Spark People with these questions and comments. I believe that how we think about our weight loss and fitness journey determines our success or failure.

How can I lose fat and enjoy the process?
What can I do today that will help me get closer to my weight loss goal?
What can I eat right now at this meal that will help me lose body fat?
How great am I going to feel after I finish my workout today?
My metabolism is getting faster every day.
I am getting leaner every day.
I like the way I look.
I am 100% responsible for my results.
Whatever it takes, I’ll do it.
I like eating healthy foods.
I love working out.
Training early in the morning is exhilarating.
I have time for anything I am committed to.
I like myself.
I can do it.
I’ll do it.

Do you really believe you'll have success? Are you getting fit for the right reasons or to fulfill some unattainable goal perpetuated by media? Do you know that the little steps you're taking now will add up in your journey to fitness and wholeness?

If you need help along the way, Beachbody has all kinds of helps and aids to get you up and grooving and moving and sweating your way to success. Slim in 6 provides 3 easy to follow workouts for amazing body slimming results. Ramp it up and burn it up in as little as 6 weeks. Reshape your body in 6 weeks---Guaranteed.

Taking P90x to the real world

Wayne and I have been waylaid by sickness and a death in the family this month so we are only starting week 7 of P90x instead of Week 9 like we should. I try to stay active and fit in workouts whenever possible even when we are off schedule. Can't say the same for Wayne who almost relishes interruptions. But he's hanging in there and bringing it at least three times a week. My goal is to stay on schedule so we can finish our 90 days according to the program.

After about 50 days on P90x Wayne and I are seeing some impressive changes in our bodies and our endurance. On the latest episode of The Office, office manager Michael Scott challenged his employees to pump out 25 pushups. Only one employee accomplished the feat and was rewarded with a day off work. Just for kicks I dropped down to see if I could do 25 without stopping. Piece of cake, my friends.

I couldn't have done it a month ago.

I realize my boss will never give me a day off work for doing 25 pushups or 15 pull-ups. But the skills and strength I've gained in the last month does translate to more efficiency in the real world. When you have a strong core you have a strong back. Anyone over 40, 30 even, has experienced some degree of back pain. Our vertebrae compress over time. Nerves pinch. Calcium deposits occur putting pressure on the spinal column. While there is no way to avoid the aging process...well, there's one way, but we won't consider that option, working and strengthening our back and core can alleviate many of the problems an aging, overworked back presents.

If you haven't started P90x or another of the awesome, heart pumping Beachbody workouts, I highly recommend that you do. Your back will thank you. You won't have any problem keeping up with the kids or the dog.

Who knows? You might even win a day off work sometime by pumping out 25 pushups. If you go to work in the fictional world of Michael Scott, that is.

If you forgot, I am also a Product Partners Affiliate.

Six weeks of Bringing it with P90x

Inspired by the 2010 5% body weight challenge on Spark People, Wayne and I finally buckled down and focused on eating better. We've been kicking it hard with P90x for the last 6 weeks, but haven't lost much weight. We can see a difference in definition--Wayne's love handles and belly and my arms and legs--but the scales haven't moved much.

Exercising hard will only shed so much weight if you don't combine it with sensible eating. So for the last week we've kicked our new healthier lifestyle into overdrive. No junk. No after dinner snacking. No skipped workouts. Today was Kenpo X of P90x. I love this workout. With almost every move I would say, "Oh, I love this one."

Near the end Wayne lost his patience and said, "You love every move."

Okay, so he has a point. But I love P90x. It is so fun and energetic. The hour flies by. I love how my shirt is dripping wet by the end. I love the buzz you can only get from a great workout. Most of all, I love the way my belly doesn't jiggle as much while jumping rope. I love feeling and looking narrower in the mirror. I love the way my husband's belly seems to shrink after nearly every workout.

If you haven't tried it yet, you really must give it a try. If two old fogies like Wayne and me can see results by doing it, anyone can. And don't give me the excuse that you're not in good enough shape for such an extreme routine. Wayne has never done this type of aerobic activity before. He's past 50 and had knee surgery in November. But he's there kicking it with me every morning.

If you want to see results, give P90x a try. You won't be sorry. If you are, at least you'll be sorry and ripped. Bring it.

In case you haven't figured it out I am a Product Partners LLC affiliate.

Cutting calories

Cutting enough calories to lose a pound of body fat is harder than you would think. I don't have much to lose, seven pounds, so it's harder than if I wanted to shed, say, 50 over the next year.

I had an extreme case of the munchies last night before bed. It wasn't just boredom grazing or watching TV and needed something to do with my hands. I was hungry. To lose 7 pounds in 8 weeks I must carve 500 calories from my daily intake. And late night snacking is my biggest problem. Especially when I stayed within my calorie range all day like a good girl.

Slim in 6 looks like a great program. I know I can't expect to lose all my weight in 6 weeks and then never worry again. Losing weight quickly is how most people get into trouble. We go at it like gangbusters in the beginning, shed a few pounds, maybe even fit into that bikini, and then fall off the wagon. We end up gaining back more than we lost in the first place.

Who wants to do that?

Slim in 6 trains you to reshape your body with fat-burning cardio exercise and light resistance to slim and sculpt. The key is to eat less and keep the weight off for good. That's what it's all about. This is a lifestyle change, not a quick fix to fit into a bikini.

Let me know how the journey goes. I'll be here, shedding those last 7 pounds.