Lets Get Stepping!

Happy New Year!

I have been getting lots of email in the past few days from readers from some of my other fitness sites, asking how to get started on an exercise program. With the start of the New Year, we all have good intentions, but sometimes they never get realized for some reason or another.

So, here is my suggestion.

Just do something. If you are finding it difficult to allot yourself some serious time to workout, take it in smaller increments, but do something.

Walking is my all time favorite workout because it is easy. For instance, lunchtime- why not take a quick 10 minute walk around your office parking lot, or run up and down the stairs several times to get the blood flowing. We are not talking about breaking into a full workout, just something to get you moving.

How about giving yourself 30 minutes in the am to workout. Sure, no one likes to get up early to workout. But if you give it a try, I'll bet you have more energy during the day, sleep better at night and are more likely to stick to a healthy eating program.

If you are serious about improving your health, try my free walking challenge and in 6 weeks you will have dramatically improved your health, lost weight and toned your body.

Free Walking Challenge Report

Don't Use The Holiday As An Excuse To Be Fat

In the past, I have made every excuse in the book to stray from whatever weight loss program I was on. And of course the biggest deal I would make with myself was, after the holiday I will go on a diet and exercise. Yeah right. That did happen, every single New Years day that I can remember in fact. So how did I get to almost 300 lbs?

The fact is the holidays are here and there are treats at every turn. So what do I do now that is so different from the past?

For one, I make sure there are treats on hand for me that fit in with my weight loss program so when I pass up a tempting treat, I can reward myself with a treat that has been calculated into my daily food budget and I am guilt free.

Also, I never skip my workouts. I look at it this way, if I keep to my workout routine and run around the stores and the house preparing for the holidays, I will be burning extra calories. And who knows, this may be the first time in my history that I actually weigh less after all the festivities are over.

But here is the biggest point, if you screw up one day, just one day - do you think you will undo all your hard work? Of course not, I did not get to be almost 300 lbs because I ate too much at Christmas dinner. So get over it, and stop making excuses to be fat.

A thin mindset is where you need to put yourself. Take one plate of food and choose wisely. Try to pick one or two choices that you really can't live without, but add healthier selections to the rest of the plate. For me dessert is the killer. So now instead of having a piece of everything, I choose just one.

It is not easy, and you will make some mistakes. Just don't make excuses, instead move along as if they didn't happen. I promise, it will get easier.

Happy Holidays.

Take a Walk

Take a Walk

I like to walk. I didn't always though. When I was one hundred pounds overweight, just taking 20 steps would take my breath away. But now that I have lost 52 pounds, I can do so much more. I walk 45 minutes to 1 hour 3-5 times a week and I work out on my treadclimber 3-4 times a week. I've come a long way.

I wanted to pass along a little walking tip because walking not only helped me burn calories and melt fat but it really helped me tone as I lost weight.

This was in one of my Weight Watcher magazines some time ago.
Walk Tall and maintain good posture while you walk, this is very important. Keep your abs tucked in and shoulders relaxed and in line with your hips. I had a problem with this at first, I seemed to always lean forward. But standing tall will help protect your lower back while you work your abs and glutes.

Want to try my walking workout. Go to Lose Belly Fat and download it now for free. It has helped me burn off belly fat and lose weight.

Sugar Free Blueberry Corn Muffins

I love muffins! There is no way around it I just love them. They are easy to make ahead and freeze. They are great snacks and very portable. A while back I found this recipe and it is only 2 Weight Watcher Points !

Sugar Free Blueberry Corn Muffins

1 c yellow cornmeal
1/2 c sucralose granular sugar substitute
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch salt
1 15oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c fat-free cottage cheese
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c frozen unsweetened blueberries (do not thaw)

1. Preheat oven to 400 . Line 15 muffin cups with paper liners or spray with nonstick spray
2. Whisk together the cornmeal, sucralose, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl - set aside
3.Puree the beans and cottage cheese in a food processor or blender, scraping the sides frequently, until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and pulse until smooth. Pour into the cornmeal mixture and stir lightly to blend. Fold in the blueberries.
4.Spoon into muffin cups, filling them 2/3 full. To ensure muffins bake evenly, fill any empty muffin cups halfway with water. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.

The beans make these muffins so moist and you get all that fiber!

Makes 15 Muffins
1 muffin = 103 cal, 1 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 0 g trans fat, 28mg chol, 133 mg sod, 19 g carb, 2 g fib, 4 g prot, 56 mg calc, 2 ww points

Get Some Sleep and Lose Some Weight

Because of the Holiday Season, I thought this was important to share. Did you know there is a connection between weight gain and sleep deprivation.

Oh Yes. Studies have proven that sleep deprivation and a stressful lifestyle, may increase levels of cortisol which makes the breakdown of fat more difficult. The answer may sound simple, but is it.

Getting more quality sleep is the key. Try to go to earlier, even if it is only 15 minutes earlier. Often when we are stressed it is hard to fall asleep once in bed. Try taking a warm bath before hitting the hay. Establish a relaxing bedtime routine. You may even want to try a herbal remedy specifically designed to gently and safely help you relax and get sleep.

Believe it or not exercising can also help you sleep better. Working out is probably the last thing you want to do when you are exhausted, but it works.

When you are tired you are also more likely to make poor food choices, so try to get in at least 7 restful hours.

Dumbbell Shrugs - Tension Buster

Are you starting to feel the stress of the upcoming Holiday. Preparations and shopping. I don't know about you guys, but with Thanksgiving over, the rush is on and I feel like dropping at the end of the day. And what always gets put to the back burner, exercise. The funny thing is exercise is a great way to relieve stress and energize.

Here is something I like to do before I hop on the Treadclimber. They are really quick and just seem to ease tension.

Dumbbell Shrugs

Beginners use hand weights of 1-2 lbs
Intermediate use weights of 3 lbs
Advanced use weights of 5 lbs

Repeat 10 times

Don't rush and make sure movements are smooth
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, arms at your sides, weights in your hands, and palms facing your thighs. Shrug your shoulders up, and then down and back. Return to starting position.

It doesn't get any easier than that!

Jillian

Get your Bowflex® TreadClimber® cardio machine today.

South Beach Diet Review

Complete Diet Program: Try the proven diet that has helped 100,000's lose weight. Free Profile.

Choosing The Best Weight Loss Program

Choosing the best diet is all about individual preference. For a weight loss program to work, it actually has to be followed. So if you don't like the plan you are on, what are the chances you are going to stick to it? Probably not so good.

So what to do?
If you are serious about losing weight, and you are in it for the long haul, you will need to choose a weight loss program you like. Makes sense, right? So today I picked a program that I think is very do-able and millions of people have had great success following.

The South Beach Diet

Let me first say, that many diets come and go but the good ones really stick around. The South Beach Diet is one weight loss program that has passed the test of time, and with good reason. This weight loss program focuses on lower carb foods, as the author Dr Agaston says, "The Right Carbs". This diet makes sense and is the bomb for getting rid of that belly fat. This program is followed in phases, here are the basics.

South Beach Diet Phase 1 lasts for two weeks. During this first phase, you will eat normal meals of chicken, beef, turkey, fish, and shellfish, lots of vegetables, eggs, cheese, nuts, and garden salads using 100% olive oil for your salad dressing. Each day for 14 days, you will eat three, well-balanced meals. While eating until your hunger is satisfied may go against most diets, with the South Beach Diet, it is part of the plan. In addition to the three meals each day, you will also eat a snack between breakfast and lunch, and then again between lunch and dinner. Even if you do not feel like eating these snacks, for the South Beach Diet to work, you need to, and after dinner, you will even have dessert. Additionally, during this phase, you can drink all the coffee and tea you want and be sure to drink lots of water.


South Beach Diet Phase 2 is different from the first in that it will last as long as it takes you to lose your desired weight. This phase will last different lengths of time depending on each individual person, how well they follow the diet, and how their body reacts. During this phase of your diet, you'll begin adding back some of foods you cut during the first two weeks. You'll be adding them back in a healthy way, though. By eating the right balance of carbs, you'll continue losing weight instead of gaining it!

South Beach Diet Phase 3 is the phase you will be in to maintain your goal weight. By this time you will already have learned all about portion control and better choices and now you will learn how to keep the weight off for good. This is a life-long approach and one that I can highly recommend.

The South Beach Diet has excellent online tools to keep you on track and motivated.
* A fully interactive dieting experience
* Tools to track your weight, phase, and diet goals
* A personal meal planner and nutrition tool
* Member questions answered by Dr. Agatston
* Support from a community of thousands like you
* Delicious and healthy recipes, including hundreds for vegetarians
* The flexibility and support to help you succeed

If you join the online program it is going to run you about $5.00 a week, but I really think you get a lot for the money/ Other programs like weight watchers charge 3x that amount. And the real online support is excellent! The South Beach support group is very friendly and eager to help.

So as you can tell by my glowing review, I highly recommend The South Beach Diet. But one more thing I must add. No diet can stand alone for long. You must get out there and exercise. Something, anything, you choose just get moving. Try hip hop dancing, my daughter just got a video and she is having a ball and really burning calories.

Jillian

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