Last minute tips...

As we come to an end of the jump start to a better self, here are some last tips on how to detox your mind, reshape your routine, and boost your mental energy!

·         Try to cut out some media time: Cut back on TV and surfing the web.

·         Move your sleep back ten minutes a night for 6 nights and you will have added a much needed hour of sleep to your schedule.

·         Avoid office gossip.

·         Spend time on activities that engage and de-stresses you.

·         When you get annoyed, focus on something you are grateful for.

·         Rethink your to-do list and spend more energy and attention to what matters most.

·         Visualize yourself doing what you love.

·         Set a date to spend time with a friend who energizes you.

·         At the end of the day, reflect on what you accomplished, not on what you should have done.

Hopefully you have enjoyed the journey to becoming a better you and take the time in actuality to attempt and accomplish some of these helpful tips.  Good Luck!

A New YOU!

Today is all about a new You! After going through detox, setting a foundation for good health and fitness and taking it to the next level, you probably feel pretty exceptional right now.  This part is all about the healthy habits that you are going to create for now and beyond.  You have cleansed and cut back and now your goal is to increase your plant to animal ratio, about eight servings of fruits and vegetables a day.  Things to avoid: Hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives, FOREVER!

For your diet:  Try adding more fish and veggies to your meals.  If you are going to make pasta, add things like almonds, parsley and lemon to spice it up.  Another great thing to do as we head into spring and summer is grilling.  Try grilling chicken or fish skewers and throw some mushrooms and zucchini on the grill.  Top it with some extra virgin oil and mint, all over a bed of brown rice and you have one complete meal all on the grill! 

For Fitness: Push yourself! Start to challenge yourself into full body work outs.  Also, intensify your walk and running routines.  Add more days, more time and more power!

Tomorrow is all about tips to detox your mind, reshape your routine, and boost your mental energy!  By the end of this week you will have: cut out processed foods, added an hour of sleep, completed a mind and body detox, transitioned a walk to a run, added healthy flavors to your meals, and re-energized yourself!  Talk to you soon!

Momentum...

Today is all about Momentum.  Now that you have detoxed and set a foundation for yourself, it’s time to take things up a notch.  Since you have changed your diet and removed all the junk out of your system, you are going to have much more energy than you think. This part is all about consistency. 

Start to intensify your workout.  Add in push ups and more weight training.  Add in squat jumps and squat twists.  For cardio, add intensity by doing jumping jacks, side shuffle and high knees through cones or even just in square.  Make it fun for yourself.  Set up circuits and spend about 1-2 minutes at each and then rotate.  For example, set up 4 stations: 1. Upper body can be as simple as push ups 2. Core can be plank or sit ups 3. Lower body can be lunges or squats 4. Can be cardio and you can jump rope or do jumping jack.  The beauty of this that you can add as many as you want, perform whatever exercises you feel a need for  and you can spend as much time at each station as you want. 

As for the nutrition, through the detox process you are focusing on restriction of what you can and cannot eat.  Now it is time to see what you can add in your diet.  If you make something as simple as a white fish, try adding spices and herbs to flavor it up.  Plus, most spices and herbs have health benefits that you won’t get from other foods.  For example, thyme stimulates your immune system and parsley can tame asthma.  The most important thing here is keeping the portion size in mind!  Try pouched eggs with roasted tomatoes on a whole wheat English muffin and add thyme, Very Yummy!

Good Luck!

Foundation...

Today is all about Foundation. In my opinion this is the most difficult. We all try new diets and exercises and for a few weeks this is innovative and stimulating and we start to see changes. But what happens to most is relapse occurs. Once you have completed a few days of detox, it is time to start building a foundation that becomes part of your everyday existence.

Stick with the five to six small meals and switch to traditional eating habits.  Add in gradually what you gave up in detox.  For example, start to slowly add in wheat and dairy.  A small portion of this is recommended since you have not eaten any for a few days.  Still remember to avoid added sugar, alcohol and processed foods/beverages.  This is the time to reshape your routine into something that works for YOU.  You can read every book and every magazine out there to get ideas, but really the only thing that is going to work is you taking the time to set a schedule, plan healthy meals that you enjoy, add a little exercise, and get moving.

Building Strength.  For your body, it is time to move.  Try starting with something small.  Walk three times a week for 30 minutes.  This can be your foundation that you build on.  Every week add a day or add ten minutes to the work out.  Also, add in exercises you can do at home.  If you have a pair of weights, try exercises for you upper body, bicep curls etc. Other simple exercises to do from home are lunges or squats.  Core exercises such as plank, boat and regular old sit ups are all important and easy to do from home.  All of these can be done right in your living room watching your favorite show.  Once again, it is all about what works for you!

Purify...

This week is all about a better self and tips on how to jump start a year of total mind-body wellness!  It’s all about Purify, Foundation, Momentum, and a New You.  First, you have to purify and hit the ground running by doing a little detox.  This is all about simplicity in what you eat or drink.  This is simple: cut out processed foods and common allergens such as added sugar, dairy, caffeine, alcohol.  Eat five to six small, veggie based meals for the first few days.  For example, try smoothies.  Add 2 cups of frozen berries, 1 cup pomegranate juice and 1 cup water.  This is a great antioxidant smoothie and only has 130 calories.  As for salads, add lots of vegetables, such as mushrooms and carrots and add some black beans and sunflower seeds.  Only use simple dressings such as oil and vinegar. 

As for the body.  Release some of the tension from the day and make time for some yoga and back stretches.  Instead of sitting on couch all night, try these moves.  The forward bend: lean over as if you were to hang and touch your toes.  Grab both elbows and hang there for about 5 breathes and then roll up, do this 3-4 times.  Cat/Cow: Get on all fours, with hands below the shoulders and knees under the hips.  Exhale and round your back pressing navel toward the spine.  Then arch your back as you inhale, about 6-8 times. 

All of these suggestions are just for the first couple of days.  As you begin to detox and set a regime for a better self, you will start to turn healthy choices into habits.

Happy Monday!!

Salt Substitute: Shake the Habit

Check out this great article from Women's Health Magazine! 

I think you will find it very interesting!

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/salt-alternatives

Setting Goals!

Sometimes in life we get so carried away with everyday chores and the chaos that comes along with it.  Whether it is work, kids, our loved ones, or the events you have to attend week after week, we lose sight of things that are important to us.

Now we all know that it takes eating right and exercising regularly to drop pounds, but sometimes it is easier said than done.  We can be our own worst enemy sometimes, not believing in ourselves to reach these goals.  I was thinking the other day about how to make this a little easier by following a few simple steps…

1.   Get Visual: If you do not have a clear image of what you want to achieve, it is going to be harder to be successful.  Close your eyes, visualize, and see what you want to achieve whether it is reaching your ideal weight or seeing yourself exercise 3 days a week.  Every time you do this you will become more and more convinced that it is possible. 

2.   Be Positive: If you are always down on yourself and believing that you will never lose weight or will never reach your goal weight then you won’t.  Every time something negative pops into your head change it with something positive!

3.   Write it down: It is so easy to dwell on disappointment or only pay attention to things in your life that are going wrong.  Change this by writing down things that make you happy and what you are grateful for.  Once you see what you are blessed with and joyful for, you will start to feel empowered to go after what you what in life!

~Stay tuned for next week… Jump Start to a Better Self!  I have tips, suggestions and helpful thoughts to detox your mind, body and soul from your post holiday stupor and into a whole body action plan that will be useful all year long!

Quick and Healthy Recipe Ideas!!

The other night I entered my kitchen to attempt a new and exciting dish that I have never tried before.  I am always looking for new, healthy and semi easy dishes to broaden my horizons!  I bought lean ground turkey meat from whole foods and decided to create a dish with that and anything else I had in the cupboards. 

First, I preheated the oven to 375 degrees.  I put the ground turkey (about ½ pound for two people) in a bowl and added a bunch of spices to intensify the flavors.   I added lemon pepper, season salt, red pepper flakes (if you like a little spice to your food) and a pinch of bread crumbs.  I mixed that altogether and formed two patties. Meanwhile, I heated up about a tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sized pan.  I added a clove of garlic, chopped into tiny pieces and sautéed for about two minutes.  Then I added the patties and cooked them for about three minutes each side to create a golden brown crust.  I transferred the patties into a baking dish, put a slice of tomato on top and topped that with about a tablespoon of grated aged white cheddar cheese.  I baked that for about 8-10 minutes or until cooked throughout. 

I also put 8 asparagus in a baking dish with olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest and baked these for about 20 minutes. 

You can also make whole wheat pasta topped with a little olive oil and lemon zest and this is a complete meal.  The whole meal takes about 20 minutes to make and it is SO delicious and healthy!  Enjoy!

Serves Two
Ingredients:
Lean ground turkey meat (1/2 pound)
Spices (Lemon Pepper, Season Salt, Red Pepper Flakes, Bread Crumbs)
Olive oil
Garlic
2 slice of Tomatoes
2 tablespoons of grated aged white cheddar cheese (Optional)
8 Asparagus
Lemons
½ pound of Whole Wheat Pasta (Optional)