CrossFit

Cross fit is the new "it" work out, it is intense and high impact, no machines are needed for cross fit just your body. Many people are switching from 24 hr fitness and LA fitness to a cross fit gym. According to games.crossfit, cross fit is many things. Primarily, it's a fitness regimen developed by coach Greg Glassman over several decades. He was the first person in history to define fitness in a meaningful, measurable way. CrossFit itself is defined as that which optimizes fitness constantly varied functional movements performed at relatively high intensity. Greg Glassman open up the first cross fit gym in 1995 and and 5 years later, everyone began to become familiar with it. From 2005-2009 over 1000 cross fit gyms open world wide.(crossfitvirtuosity) In summer 2007 the cross fit games began; every year people compete to be the fittest on Earth.

 Burpees, mountain climbers, pushing a tire from one side of the room to the next and climbing a rope are just some of the few workouts in cross fit. Most of the cross fit gyms are a bit pricey, but they are worth it because they work with you on a personal level, so its like having a personal trainer. Cross fit will help you loose weight, gain endurance, muscle and strength. Cross fit is many things and it is why people like it, you will never get bored because there is always a different work out routine and a new challenge to surpass. 

This video explains what cross fit is and gives you a better idea. Although it may be pricey, just remember you can't put a price on health. Would you rather have a new outfit, pair of shoes or a healthy/hot body. Look for deals on group on and living social, local cross fit gyms are always giving a sweet deal that is too good to pass up.

 The most important thing is to find something you enjoy doing, cross fit might not be for you, but you might like dancing, weight lifting, running, swimming, or boxing, if you enjoy doing a certain type of work out then stick to it because it will help you reach your fitness goal. 

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Lower body work out

Here is a great lower body work out video that you can do at the comfort of your own home. What is great about this video is that you don't need any weights, your just using your body weight. This video also includes a 5 minute warm up. This video will definitely have your legs crying and is only 16 minutes. To make this more of an intense work out, go for a 30 minute jog around your block, or do some jumping jax, anything to get your heart rate up. Remember a pound of fat is 3,500 calories. According to Nicci Howell, a pound of fat contains about 3,500 calories, so for each pound of fat you want to lose, you'll need to trim 500 calories a day. Howell suggests if you wanted to loose 2 lbs a week, do physical activity daily to burn those 500 calories or eating 700 fewer calories and exercise to burn 300 calories. Read more at Live Strong.com

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Upper body work out

When your working out it is best to focus on certain muscles at a time. For example, one day you can do upper body work out and the next lower body work out. This method lets you focus on certain muscle groups. Sometimes it could be too much for body to handle when your working out your entire body. This video is perfect for your upper body, it demonstrates the work out then does the work out. This video is 20 minutes and all you need is a mat and dumbbells.  Fitness can be done at the comfort of your home, so you have no excuses. There is always a way to get in shape. Before starting this video I would recommend warming up, maybe start with jumping jax or jump rope for 5 minutes or even go for a jog. If you want to break a sweat before you start this work out do 50 jumping jax, 20 burpees, 20 mountain climbers, and 20 squats in place. This will make your work out more intense and will get your heart rate up, hence burn more calories.  

Bye belly fat

The most stubborn fat to get rid of is your belly fat, better known as your gut. The stomach is a major problem area for both men and women. According to Fred Pescatore, MD, a New York physician specializing in nutrition and the author of Boost Your Health With Bacteria. "The gut plays a huge role in our overall health," he says "the majority of all of our illnesses stem from the gut being unhealthy."(Hepler, 2012) Asthma, allergies, obesity, heart disease, diabetes and inflammatory are all related to a poor gut health. According to Jennifer Cohen, Belly fat is actually the most dangerous type of fat-besides aesthetics, large waist lines are indicators of disease. There is a formula you can do to see if you are at risk of disease, according to Dr. Oz, you take your height in inches and divide that in half. If your waist size is more than half your height, you're at higher risk for developing complications from belly fat. Click here to view a video of Dr. Oz discussing belly fat.

Now that I have discussed about how belly fat can be a major threat, I will share some information about how to get rid of it. A healthy diet and exercise will help you get rid of that belly fat. In more detail of what kind of work out you should be doing is something that is high impact, something that will get your heart rate up. Julian Michaels recommends circuit training because it gets your heart rate up and you work out your entire body. Do not rely on sit ups to get rid of the belly fat because you don't want to build muscle over the fat. According to Julian Michaels both belly bulge and love handles are about excess body fat, not lack of muscle. That's why ab exercises alone are not the solution. Scoring a flat stomach is all about workouts that impact different muscle groups at the same time-so you're strengthening your entire body and burning more calories. Jon Wade from Motely Health encourages exercise for weight loss. He claims that exercising has an immediate effect on weight, in that as you exercise you burn energy, mostly glycogen stored in muscle tissue. The body replaces the lost energy by breaking down sugar reserves in fat cells. This is why we lose weight/fat when we exercise. So get off that couch and exercising.

Jennifer Cohen discusses 6 ways to burn your belly fat, one is sleep. When you're tired you produce more ghrelin, which triggers cravings for sugar and other fat-building foods.(Cohen, 2012) Number 2 on the list is short burst of exercises, once again do not rely on crunches or sit ups to get rid of the belly fat, she suggests planking because it works out your entire body and aims at your core as well burning more calories. Cohen strongly suggest to stay away from sugar and claims that it is your enemy, she is not the first person to say this either, Julian Michaels and many other articles such as Live Strong.com recommend to reduce your sugar and sodium intake in order for you to lose weight. Cohen suggest a great tip, she suggests to sprinkle cinnamon in your coffee or oatmeal because the spice has been shown to help stabilize blood sugar. Cohen suggests to increase your vitamin C intake because when you're under extreme stress, you secret more corisol hormone. Vitamin C helps balance the cortisol spikes that happen to you under this stress. Michaels and Cohen both suggest to eat fat, yes fat, but the good fat. Michaels suggests to eat nuts, according to Michaels, research has found that people who eat nuts twice a week are much less likely to gain weight than those who don't. Cohen advises to eat good fats such as salmon, avocados and walnuts, foods that are rich in Omega 3's.

If your serious about getting rid of the belly fat, you have stay away from happy hour. Michaels implies to stay away from alcohol because alcohol releases estrogen into the bloodstream and when you have excess estrogen, you're more prone to hold onto weight. Julian Michaels insinuates that  alcohol also lowers your inhibitions, decreases your willpower, and stimulates your appetite. The result? You in a drive-thru ordering a cheeseburger and fries at 2 a.m. Michaels is so right because many of us have been in this position. Jon Wade encourages to decrease your alcohol consumption. According to Wade, if you drink a lot, you will accumulate fat around your waist. Excess alcohol consumption can really give you a belly.

Having a healthy life-style will help you in so many ways, you will have energy, confidence and a better mine set. Start your healthy life style today and get rid of that belly

Wednesday Weightlift Workout

For this week's weekly feature, I decided to show you all how you can intesify your light workout by simply using weights. I recommend doing 10-15 of each exercise per set, and doing 2-3 sets for each day. This will tone your muscles a bit, and give you a light work out for those days when you don't have much time. You can alter any part of the exercise to better fit your needs, and remember, this is just a light work out to tone your arms, and a little leg work out, too. Hope you enjoy!

Don't Fall into Temptation

We all know that worst time for a diet is during the holidays.  You’re not the only one struggling!  WebMD, weight lose clinic, gives 10 pointers on how to manage your weight during the holidays.  In this article it acknowledges that when people socialize food and drinks are involved but having a plan will help you not go overboard.  My weakness will be cutting back on alcohol and not splurging.   The last paragraph of this article it said not to beat yourself up if you don’t do great on your diet, get back to your normal routine after the holiday’s.  Whew, good thing because I was already beating myself up!

If you are cooking for the holidays, check out some healthy dishes for you and your guests.  I usually bring a veggie or fruit platter to our family gathering but this year I’m going to try to make a healthy dessert.   To take away any temptation I’ll just make something I don’t like.  If I don’t like it, I will not be tempted.  My husband loves rice pudding but the texture bothers me.  I’m more of a chocolate cake kind of girl.  Here is a recipe I found that is worth trying and shows step by step how to make it.  It’s so easy even I can make it!

Get Motivated!!

Sometimes we get into a slump.  It’s normal but we need to find a way out of the slump, especially with the weather right now and the holidays just around the corner.  It’s easy to stay in bed or watch a movie instead of going to the gym.  However, we need to keep our eyes on the prize and push ourselves to go.  It’s not that easy though, we have to find motivation to go.  I have been doing multiple things to keep motivated such as measuring, pictures, researching, and role models.

Every few months I measure major body parts; arms, legs, stomach, shoulders, and chest.  Within the months my muscles will fluxuate, similar to my weight.  But I love to see results!  When I know I’ve been working out hard, it feels good to know it paid off.  I keep my measurements in a journal along with how much I weigh.  It’s crazy to think that only two years ago I weighed 160 pounds and now I’m at 140 pounds.  As long as you stay consistent you will have these drastic changes too.

I take pictures of myself every few months, same as the measurements, and I compare the pictures to the previous months.  You may also want to video yourself because pictures can be deceiving depending on the angel.  In the video it’s good to wear the same clothing every time to really see the changes.  I wear a sports bra and tight legging shorts and I flex every muscle.  I’ll flex biceps and triceps, legs, shoulders, chest, and back.  Whether I’ve improved or not it still motivates me to go on.  If I’m content I continue to want to look good and look better.  If I’ve slacked off I’ll kick myself in the butt and get motivated to get the ball rolling again.  Either way it’s a win win situation!

This motivation is kind of silly but it works just like the others.  Women are known to do this but men might be afraid of checking out other men.  I compare myself to other women’s bodies and I go online and find pictures of women who have nice bodies.  A perfect place to put these pictures is on the fridge.  Every time you think of pulling out some ice cream, that picture of a perfect body will be your motivation to step away from the fridge and get some fruit.           

Lastly, I follow someone I look up to.  My role model is Dana Bailey, a professional fitness model and national competitor in the physique field.  She stays very active with the community and posts videos of work outs and competitions on YouTube.  Dana Bailey also has a Facebook Fan page where she uploads pictures every couple of days.  She is my role model because she motivates me to want to be better.  She has also been in the field a lot longer than what I have and is more experienced.  Your role model does not have to be famous or a professional it could be a personal trainer, athlete, fitness instructor, or even a friend.  Find your niche to get better and get motivated when you get into a slump!

Get that metabolism going!

An excellent way to start losing weight is buy increasing the speed of your metabolism. Although it seems like speeding up your metabolism is impossible, there are actual ways to accomplish this goal. I've also included ways that slow down your metabolism, so you can avoid those at all times.

 In fact, there are 14 ways. A helpful tip is to multiply your current weight by 11, and that number is the amount of calories you should eat a day. Eat breakfast, though some people think skipping breakfast helps keep their amount of calorie consumption down, breakfast actually engages your body's metabolism, helping to burn off calories through out the day. Eat snacks instead of meals, not only does this cut the amount of calories you consume, but it also sparks your metabolism throughout the day. Another tip, is to think about the foods you eat, instead of eating tons of fats and sugars, balance it out with protein. Protein is a crucial component to a faster metabolism. Drink milk and water instead of alcohol; alcohol actually contains a fair amount of calories, and slows down your metabolism. Now we're getting into the exercise portion of the "metabolism speed-up." Weight lifting is an excellent way to induce a speedy metabolism. As well as, breaking up your work out routine, and increasing the effort given per work out session. Lastly, a good nights rest is sure to speed up your metabolism. Your body burns carbs and fats during your sleep, and skimping out on the recommended eight hours of sleep per night can cause your metabolism to slow down, and the pounds will start packing on. These tips are simple and require little to no effort, but do require you to think about your eating and exercise habits.

The Livestrong website explains what slows down metabolism. Lack of sleep decreases your body's ability to adequately burn of the necessary carbs and fats. Malnutrition is also a large factor, the less good components your body has, the slower your metabolism works. And finally, muscle ratio; your body has a faster metabolism when you have more muscle. Because your metabolism burns calories faster than fat, the more muscle you have, the lower the chance that your body gain any fat to it. That's when exercise comes in handy, burning fat into muscle lowers your muscle to fat ratio. As you get older, your metabolism inevitably starts to slow down. To help your body keep off the fat, you need to lower your caloric intake, and engage in more cardio activities. Like I said before, all you need to do is get the recommended 8 hours of sleep per night, exercise frequently and powerfully , and keep in mind what you eat.

By now you realize that speeding up your metabolism is quick and easy. By simply eating the right foods, you automatically make it easier for metabolism to work faster. Eating in smaller portions and more snack throughout the day helps your metabolism. Exercising more frivolously and breaking up your routines will ensure a faster metabolism. Hopefully these tips were helpful to you, and will help further your healthy life style.

Advance: 5 for 5

The videos below are of my husband and I doing our first round of this work out.   We only showed the first round but the work out is  5 rounds.  If you do not have it in you to do all 5 rounds please do not go any further.  My husband and I have been working out for quite some time and we've had to work up to this level.  I've found some flaws in my work out: I did not go as low as I should have for my push ups and I modified the burpies (once you're in a push up position do a push up and procede to a high jump).  Each set will be 15 reps 5 times.  Hence the name 5 for 5.  5 rounds at 15 reps each.

Box Jumps
Leg Lifts
Incline Push Ups
Sumos
Burpies

For a higher intensity work out check out Dana Bailey.

 

New Features Coming Soon

The fitness ladies will be conducting new work outs within the next few weeks.  These work outs will be intended for men and women.  We encourage you to try them and give us your feedback!  Feel free to video your work out and send it to our blog.  We’d love to see how you’re doing.  Hope you enjoy our work outs and remember to have fun. 

Cellulite

Cellulite better known as "cottage cheese" is the dimple looking appearance on your skin. According to medical news today cellulite is caused by fat deposits that are just below the surface of the skin. It generally appears on skin in the abdomen, lower limbs, and pelvic region, and it usually occurs after puberty. According to Kasey McCreery different estrogen and progesterone levels can aggravate cellulite. It can also be affected by increased water retention, tight connective tissue that pulls down on the skin, enlarged fat lobes and poor circulation.

How to exfoliate skin clams that women's bodies store fat differently than men's bodies. Basically, the shape of the areas that store fat in men's bodies run diagonally underneath the skin, which makes them less visible. These same fat-storing areas in women's bodies are shaped like vertical honeycombs, which means that fat builds up in the holes and then pushes through the muscles fibers when they're overfull, hence the appearance of those dimples.

 According to she knows  Cellulite does not discriminate against size. Even if you are a size 2 and waif thin, cellulite can (and likely will) find you! Cellulite occurs when the fatty tissue immediately underneath your skin is damaged, which has nothing to do with other layers of fat or muscle. So that is why is important to take care of your health and skin and a young age.

The disturbing news about cellulite is that you can't get rid of it, but you can reduce the appearance of it. There are many products out in the market that claim to get rid of cellulite for ex. creams, lotions, rubs, and body wraps; well according to the official cellulite cure none of these will get rid of cellulite because they can't reach the root of the problem underneath three layers of skin.

Although you cannot get rid of cellulite you can reduce the appearance. The American Council of Exercise recommends reducing overall body fat in order to reduce the amount of cellulite in problem areas. Cardio exercise is the beast way to accomplish overall weight loss. 30-60 minutes a day will definitely make a difference. Or even 3-4 times a week of cardio can help you reach your goal. Doing weight lifting will also benefit you by helping to tone up and reduce the appearance of cellulite, so pick up those weights. Of course in order to reduce the appearance of cellulite you will have to make healthier choices when it comes to picking out your meals.

Laser treatment can eliminate cellulite but it will cost you. According to Schulte Cellulite The FDA approved the first form of cellulite laser treatment in 2002 for something known as circumferential reduction. This method aims to reduce excess weight and fat in the hips, buttocks, and the thighs and to reduce dimples and marks in the skin. This process works by combining the effects of mechanical massage, laser light, and radio frequency treatments together into one holistic treatment. The women receiving treatment will need to undergo laser treatment for a series of sessions before experiencing the cellulite-freeing effects.

Although you can eliminate the appearance of cellulite through laser treatment, you will have to maintain a healthy life-style because it can come back.

Laser treatments can range from as little $200 a session to $2,300. So if your one of the lucky few that can afford the treatment, you can eliminate cellulite.

Super Size Me, Please?

In 2004, NBC covered the story behind the infamous McDonalds' decision to cut off their super sized meal. By popular demand, the McDonald's company was persuaded to end the super size meal, which was causing obesity problems and just plain out right glutton. NBC interviewed a couple lucky persons who both said the super size meal was in fact, a waste of food. But that was only part of the reason, McDonald's also claimed that not enough super sized meals were being sold to create a large enough profit. However, after looking more into this topic, I discovered McDonald's still offers the super size meal. This article makes you wonder; are there really people out there who attempt to eat an entire super sized meal? If so, what do their medical records like today?

The McDonald's website offers the calorie content for all of their food products. The Big Mac alone is 770 calories, a small fry is 230 calories, and the average calorie content in a small soda is 150. That comes to a total of 1,150 calories in the most popular American fast food meal. Or maybe instead you decide you want a hot chocolate on a cool winters morning, well, that's already 300 calories to start off your day. McDonald's claims to be improving their health standards in regards to the caloric and fat content in their foods, however; still an overwhelmingly large number of their products are high in fat and over 500 calories. Contrary to this article's purpose, I actually enjoy the occasional McDonald's meal, unfortunately; McDonald's is very unhealthy, and if you do choose McDonald's really consider the food you choose. A happy meal leads to unhappy hips.

Health Risks of Obesity

It's pretty well known that obesity has a negative connotation. Unfortunately, people may not see the multiple risks that obesity can have on your health. The risks work hand in hand with how obese you are. The more obese, the greater the risk, and the more health complications you will face in your lifetime. The reason for the obesity problem in America is simple, the American people just don't understand, or know the health risks of their eating and exercise choices. Listed below are the different effects associated with obesity.

Obesity can cause cancer, diabetes, heart failure, and even death. The problem with obesity is that many don't see it as a problem, and often blow it off, and belittle their problem. Obesity can really affect a person's life. Even mild obesity can lead to cancer or diabetes, both of these illnesses are huge life impacts, and not only affect you, but also your family and friends. Liver disease, stroke risks, gallbladder disease, and breathing issues are all risks of obesity, and are all serious life changing complications.

Even pregnancy can be affected by obesity. Mother and child can both die during labor, simply from the mother's obesity. Obesity can immediately change the fate of a family, leaving a father and child without a mother, mother whose child died during birth, or even a father left without both a wife and child. Though obesity doesn't seem like an issue, it is one of the leading causes of death and life long illnesses, and can even destroy a family in a matter of minutes.

 Also, obesity is hereditary, meaning your children will have a larger chance of being over weight in their adult years, and each health risk is more prone to happen to them. Not only does obesity directly affect those who suffer from it, but it also affects the children. The life choices you make today; the food you eat, the way you exercise (or don't exercise), the weight you gain throughout your life... these will all affect your children!  Do you really want your children to suffer from cancer or heart failure from simply being obese for hereditary reasons? Think wisely about the health choices now, because they will inevitably affect your children, and even further generations down the road, and more importantly, they will affect you in the long run.

On the bright side, there are simple solutions to overcome obesity. The number one way to become healthier and lower your risk of obesity is exercise. Exercise is literally the easiest way to save your health, and it can even be fun. Instead of doing exercises that make you cringe and regret the idea of even working out, do something you like. For example, go to a dance class, play a sport you enjoy, or even get a group of your friends together to walk around the neighborhood. Another major way to avoid and beat obesity, is to watch what you eat. Cut out the junk food, eat smaller portions and over all, just eat healthier foods for your body. Keep in mind that obesity has many damaging effects to your body, and the bodies of generations to come. Take control of your obesity. Don't let obesity beat you, and keep working for a healthier body.

Don't be a Loner

Are you bored of exercising alone?  Don’t get discouraged!  There are plenty of group classes offered at all gyms.  The classes vary from body pump to Zumba.  No matter what level of fitness you are at you can join any of these classes. Beginners are usually in the back of the class and advance are usually in the front.   If I’m in the mood for dancing then I go to a Zumba class and if I’m in the mood to give my muscles a hard work out then I go to a body pump class.

A Zumba class incorporates aerobics and high energy.  You can burn between 400 to 900 calories depending on how much effort you put in.  What you put into a work out is what you get out of it.  If you already made it to the gym then might as well burn as many calories as possible, this will get you faster results and make your work out efficient.  Body pump is less aerobics and more body sculpting.  Both aerobics and weight lifting are important if you want to become lean.  It is a good idea to take these classes if you are a beginner.  The instructors of these classes are professional trainers and can help you with your form and give free advice on dieting. 

When you work out in a group you tend to be more motivated.  Anne Fritz, author of TheBenefits of Group Exercise, agrees that working out as a group is better.  An example of a benefit is the others in the class may cheer you on to push a little harder.  It is a great way to work out.  In my case, when a work out becomes intense I look over to the person next to me and realize that they are doing the same exercise, therefore I can do it too.

My Experience with Diets

My goal weight has changed dramatically throughout the years.  When I weighed 160 pounds my goal was 150 pounds and when I reached my goal of 150 pounds my new goal was 140 pounds.  Now that I’m at 140 pounds my new goal is 135 pounds.  It is common among people to want more after reaching their goal.  In my opinion that is fine but acknowledge that you are making an improvement.   I was always in sports as a child and even some in college but now I go to school full time and work full time so I’m limited on how much I can work out.  The difference between me and a lot of people is that I enjoy working out, it’s my hobby.  My down fall was my diet.

Most diets deprive people from many food products and sometimes taking an entire food group out.  This is unhealthy and leads to a diet failure and becomes unrealistic for the long run.  Many people think diets are temporary but realistically they should become a lifestyle.  Unlike me when some people reach their goal they stop their diet and inevitably gain all the weight they lost.  This is why strict diets fail.  Depending on your diet it can get expensive.  If you’ve ever shopped at Trader Joe’s or at any Farmers Market you’d understand.  People think that diets can lower your metabolism but that can only happen if you cut back dramatically on calories and only eat a few times throughout your day.  When you take away food from your body it will hold on to the food you consume and you will not burn the calories.  Similar to starving your body and if you do this then it will slow down your metabolism.

The diet that presented the best result was when I changed my entire lifestyle.  I quit drinking alcohol on a regular basis and quit smoking.  That was the biggest change in my lifestyle.  I continued working out 6 days a week and the weight dropped instantly.  Within a few weeks I lost 10 pounds.  My diet didn’t change because I was always cautious of my calorie intake.  I ate 5-6 times a day (small meals) and after every work out I had a protein shake or bar.  My BMI was approximately 2,300 calories therefore I consumed less than 2,000 calories to lose weight.

A mistake that many people do is cutting out junk food completely.  You don’t need to cut out junk food but you do need to eat it in moderation.  If you are craving chocolate, you should have some chocolate!  This does not mean have the whole candy bar, have a couple of pieces as a treat.  Lastly, when I work out I do activities that I enjoy.  I love to weight train with my husband and I enjoy fun cardio.  Fun cardio to me are things such as hiking, swimming, biking, and playing different sports.  Not only am I burning calories but I am spending quality time with my husband and having fun.

Start your Diet Today

     When you first start a diet, make sure it’s not impossible.  Don’t set yourself up for failure.  Figure out a diet that fits your schedule and lifestyle.  On days you know you’ll be busy prepare a quick healthy lunch including: protein, carbs, and fats.  Discipline your food intake and keep track of your calorie consumption.  Remember that 3,500 calories is 1 pound, to be able to lose weight you have to burn more than what you eat.  Write down what you eat and look up the calories if the food doesn’t have nutrition facts.  Many restaurants have a nutrition guide, take a look at the food value.  At the end of the day add up all the calories and see how you did. 
      You are going to want to check out how many calories you need a day (BMI).  This will help you figure out if you gained weight or lost weight that day.  It might be a slow process but it’ll prepare you for a healthy lifestyle.  Plan on eating six small meals per day.  This is based on the idea that decreasing the amount of time between meals increases metabolism.  Eating more often helps keep you from getting overly hungry. This type of eating program takes some planning, but it has proved successful for many when it comes to weight loss.
      For people who hate exercising there are plenty of activities you might enjoy.  Don’t limit yourself to only going to the gym.  You can play sports, be productive and do house chores, enjoy the outdoors and take a hike, take a group class (Zumba), try workout videos, or simply go to the gym if you don’t mind it.

Thanksgiving Tips

Since Thanksgiving is fast approaching, I thought I should give some tips on a few healthy Thanksgiving recipes. A common misconception associated with family gatherings and holiday dinners is that every meal is full of calories, carbs, and fat, this is far from true! Instead of packing on the holiday pounds, you’ll be able to keep up your good eating habits, and continue the journey to a healthier you, by simply doing research on recipes, and finding foods that catch your eye.

 This first article gives many helpful recipes for a healthier, less guilt ridden Thanksgiving. You can still eat all of the delicious Thanksgiving necessities without all of the fat and calories. Simply substitute the flavors of butter and fats with fruits and vegetables, giving your food a richer, more sophisticated flavor. Different nuts can also be used to create a tasty Thanksgiving dinner. 

Of course, along with dinner, you must have the Thanksgiving Dessert. Desert may seem full of sugar and carbs, but there can still be delectable deserts that still are healthy for you. Using evaporated milk instead of heavy whipping cream immediately makes desserts healthier, while you can still enjoy the nostalgic taste of Thanksgivings’ passed. Fruits based desserts are also a way to keep your Thanksgiving feast healthy and mouth-watering. Many Thanksgiving favorites can be altered and improved to be healthy for both you and your guests.

Hopefully these recipes were helpful to you, and gave you the encouragement and motivation to keep eating healthy. Keep using smart food choices, and enjoy your healthier Thanksgiving meal. 

Why Juice

They say you should have about 3-6 servings of vegetables a day and 2-4 servings of fruit. How many of us actually consume that many servings of veggies each day? Some people consume only 3-6 servings of vegetables a week, which means we are not getting all the nutrients we need. It is difficult to eat all the nutrients we need on a daily basis. Many people turn to vitamins for their nutrients, but people who juice on a daily basis benefit more. Juicing vegetables and fruits is a quick and easy way to get the nutrients you need all in one cup.

Reasons why to Juice:
According to Mercola.com juicing helps you absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables. This is important because most of us have impaired digestion as a result of making less-than-optimal food choices over many years, which limits your body's ability to absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables. Juicing will help to "pre-digest" them for you.
In addition Juicing allows you to consume an optimal amount of vegetables in an efficient manner (Mercola.com)

 Each vegetable contains a certain vitamin that you can benefit from and probably a nutrient you are lacking. For example Kale being one of the healthiest veggies; is high in fiber, iron, vitamin K and is filled with powerful antioxidants. The taste of kale is not the most pleasant and is why we don't consume enough of it but a great way to consume kale is by juicing. By juicing you can drink the kale and get the nutrients you need, you can add a green apple to the juice to make the taste more pleasant.

I purchase a juicer a couple months ago and I love it. It has been the best way for me to get the nutrients I need. Before juicing I had never eaten a beet and ginger, now I juice both of those veggies which are considered "super foods." Whenever I have a cold I juice ginger, I usually use about a chunk of it because it has a strong taste, but honestly it has cure my flu more than once. I didn't have to go to the doctor I just juice the foods that fight the flu and it work. I also notice I gained more energy from juicing and the migraines that I would get often went away.

A juicer is an investment but it is worth every penny because your health is important. There are many recipes you can find online and you can even experiment veggies and fruit you like.

My two favorite recipes:
 A chunk of ginger, 5 carrots and 1 orange
Handful of spinach, 2 celery sticks and 1 orange
Both are nutritious and delicious

For more recipes and benefits of juicing check out  LiveStrong.com

What Working Out Will Do For you

Working out does not only help you to feel better about the way you look, but will also benefit your body in a multitude of ways. As Sullivan said in his article, working out and exercising makes a person healthier, happier, and even makes them sleep better.

It's a given that working out is good for the body, however; people fail to realize how simple and easy a good work out can be. Exercising helps a person's body become more conditioned, helps a person lose the extra weight, and helps a person become more satisfied with what they see in the mirror. The hardest part of this process is finding workout routines that shape to your schedule and time constraints. Fortunately, there are many workouts you can do at home. So instead of laying back and watching TV, how about lifting some weights while still enjoying the TV, or going for a quick paced walk around your neighborhood. Both of these activities consume little time, and will still improve your body image. Also, instead of paying for a gym membership every month, you would spend little to no money with the above list of exercises; these ideas are fool proof!

It has also been discovered that exercising regularly actually causes you to be happier! When you exercise, you release endorphins, these endorphins are what make you feel happier and less stressed out. If you're having an overwhelming day, all you need to do is exercise, preferably a type of exercise you enjoy doing, and you will start to feel better, and more accomplished. Working out after a long, hard day at work will give you the energy and confidence to continue through your night. Also, you will undoubtedly feel better and happier about yourself by simply losing weight, and becoming the person you've always wanted to be.

Exercising has one more impressive component, it makes you sleep better. As Jacob says in his article, sleep is something which everyone needs, and everyone needs a large amount of it. On the downside, sleep is often put off for late night events, however; sleeping longer and being in a deeper sleep would actually give you more energy to do the late night scene. Exercising regularly is proven to help you sleep better, and stay in a deeper sleep, both of which cause you to have more energy the next day. The best part of this, is that you don't need to do a long, strenuous workout routine, instead you only need to do something that will get your heart rate up, and release endorphins. A simple at-home exercise will give you just the right amount of exercise you need to have a better night's rest, a more energetic next day, and a happier person to greet your co-workers.

Regular exercise and workouts are necessities that many people often put off. However, now that you know the benefits of exercise to you and your body, hopefully you won't be one of those people! Remember, working out not only improves the way you look, but also your sleep pattern, and your happiness level. And don't forget the helpful at-home work out routines you can do after a stressful day at work.