Day 6 of Metamorphosis or getting back on track

I decided to count only the days of training. Hence, today was my day 6 with a rest day in between 5 and 6.

I dont know whether it is just the rest day, or a rest day spent in a not such a healthy manner, but it was actually harder to workout today. DC was a killer, and MS a murderer :) DC still gives me a great kick, I like it. I feel my calves muscles developing from all the jumping, and they look so good already - much more toned, and I feel them sore. I still have not perfected the MS, I still have to stop in between every 10th rep or so (for exercises 3-4 in particular), and I noticed that it is easier for me to do all the exercises on my left leg! Thats so odd - cos I have always been right-handed through and through! But all in all even though I went through it, I could not do as good as I did in day 5... And I am back to day 2 weight (:(), but oh well - I had fun these past two days, and the Chinese dumplings were oh so good! Today I am back to the diet, and all is good (feel much better too, as guilt is not killing me). But the experience of the last 2 days showed how much your progress can be hindered by couple of drinks and a party. Good lesson. :)

I am back on the train though, am training again, going to have salsa training later on, so thats good. As I am past mid-level 1, so I started dreading level 2 already - I read a lot in other blogs and in TA Community, that it is a killer, so lets see. I have some time to get both really scared and really excited :)

Read More..

General Health On For Weight Loss Proper Diet Programs

Weight problems has become being known as a crisis within the health community. Actually, itll soon function as the leading reason for avoidable dying within the United States, even in front of smoking cigarettes. Weight problems results in type two diabetes, high bloodstream pressure, cardiovascular disease or stroke as well as an elevated chance of cancer. Wonderful these health problems, along with the general improvement in the standard of existence that may occur, slimming down is among the best things that can be done on your own. Regardless of what we wish to believe, there simply is not a miracle means to fix slimming down.

Your body will shed excess body fat if this needs more calories to operate with the demands you set onto it inside a given day than the quantity of calories that you simply feed it. 3 Week Diet with its that easy. So, to be able to slim down, you have to decrease the amount of calories that you simply eat in addition to boost the amount that you simply burn. Theres an array of options to select from when searching for a weightloss routine. These frequently spend considerable time explaining things to eat, with what amounts as well as at what occasions or perhaps in what combinations. But couple of of these stress the need for exercise - not only for weight reduction, however for your current health insurance and wellness. Being active is vital when attempting to slim down for many reasons:

• First, while you begin to consume less food, your metabolic process will decelerate somewhat. Working out helps you to raise your metabolic process to a competent level.
• Second, as pointed out, exercise burns more calories to ensure that you are able to slim down faster and remain motivated inside your efforts.
• Third, exercise really releases hormones, chemicals that keep the mood elevated.

Exercise does not need to mean investing hrs in the club or pushing through tiring workout routines. Actually, to ensure that you to definitely stick to it around the long term, working out ought to be something you enjoy. Begin by growing your level of activity within an overall way. Go ahead and take stairs when you are able. Park farther from the mall door when you are shopping. Take a stroll around the block or via a neighborhood you like and produce your dog or perhaps a friend along for company. Take dance or fighting techinques training. When you turn on generally, its simpler and much more natural to maneuver into physical exercise. Which you will need to do eventually to be able to get regular, noticeable health advantages. You have to lift up your heartbeat to some body fat burning level and it there not less than twenty minutes, 3 occasions or even more per week. However, should you not want to visit a fitness center, you will find other available choices. Videos and Dvd disks are actually obtainable in a myriad of exercise types. That method for you to improve your routine without notice to ensure that you do not get tired of what you are doing. Try a variety of aerobic exercise, boxing, yoga, or virtually any action you would like in the actual comfort of your home. For those who have physical restrictions that will help you stay removed from working out, you may still try to improve your level of activity. Water aerobic exercise is an excellent choice for individuals whove joint pain or limited mobility since it relieves pressure in your body that the weight provides. However, you get the potential to deal with challenge parts of your muscles in the water. You will find even classes and videos available that allow you to exercise inside a sitting position. Whatever type of exercise you select, you need to stay motivated and it fun. Try gathering an organization together to really make it a social event. Or obtain a digital pedometer, a tool that tracks what lengths you walk, and find out the number of miles you are able to walk per week. Create a competition among your buddies or family people and treat the champion with something (not food related!). Make the expertise of working out something you anticipate, and itll soon be a regular a part of your more healthy lifestyle. For more information The 3 Week Diet - http://www.healthproductsrater.com/the-3-week-diet-plan-review web page.

Read More..

How I get Healthful Groceries on a Budget

Hi All,

Im sorry I havent had any new recipes for you lately.  Kevin and I have been busy with a few of our goals for the year, including saving money for a house, reading, and being more active and eating better.  All goals of which I am happy to report that we are making great progress on.  (Im currently reading through Banana: The Fate of the Fruit that Changed the World, which is super interesting how industries are built around food systems.)

Because we have been eating more homemade meals (saving money AND being healthier, YEAH!), I have been spending a bit more on groceries.  This balances out to save more money overall, considering that it costs us anywhere from $20 to $40 when we eat out once, compared to $60-$80 for a week of meals on groceries.  Not bad at all I think! :)

In the fall and summer months I had been getting most of my produce from a produce stand on my way home from work, where I would get in-season produce for SUPER cheap!  2 for $1 kale and collard bunches, 69 cent per pound apples, $1 per pound sweet potatoes, etc.  After December 23rd, that produce stand has closed for the winter months and wont open until April 1st.  So, I have a little over 2 more months to live without my regular inexpensive produce source!

My solution: 

• get produce mostly from Costco, 
• buy smaller/unique produce items from my local grocery
• stock up on staples from Winco on a bi-monthly trip, and
• get hard-to-find items from Vitacost 2-3 times a year

Costco

I love Costco.  I remember going there as a kid after church some Sundays and getting to snack on their samples.  I live in Washington, where Costcos headquarters are in Kirkland, an hour or so north of where I now live, so I like the idea of supporting an in-state business.  Costco has awesome deals on produce items compared to other grocery stores.  Here is my weekly/bi-weekly Costco grocery list as of late:

• Bi-weekly items:
• 2 cartons of apples
• 1 box oranges
• 1 bag bananas
• 1 bag of 6 assorted bell peppers
• 1 carton baby bella mushrooms
• Occasional items:
• 1 bag russet potatoes (for Kevin)
• 1 bag sweet potatoes (my Costco has organic, so I can eat the peels, YAY!)
• 1 bag yellow onions
• 1 bag organic frozen white corn
• 1 bag raw almonds
• 1 large container chili powder
• 2-pack natural peanut butter

• Weekly items:
• 1 carton blueberries
• 1 carton blackberries
• 1 carton raspberries
• 1 bag Power Greens (contains baby kale, arugula, spinach, and baby red chard)
• 2 3-packs english cucumbers
• 1 bag sugar snap peas (my absolute favorite veggie to munch!)
• 1 bag cookable green vegetable (I rotate through broccoli, stir fry mix with cabbage, green beans, and Brussels sprouts)

Local Grocery

The closest grocery to us happens to be a Safeway.  From here I get smaller produce items and a few things for Kevin when we need them.

• red onions
• green onions
• carrots
• celery
• garlic cloves
• fresh herbs - basil, cilantro, parsley, rosemary, thyme, chives
• Tofu and meat replacement products (very rarely do I get these)
• Yogurt (for Kevin)
• Milk (for Kevin)
• Plant milk (usually I make my own)

Winco

Im not sure how widespread Winco is throughout the U.S., but I really like this store.  It has a Costco feel in pricing, but with grocery store sizes.  The best thing about Winco is that they have an extensive bulk bin section.  This is where I get all of my items like beans/legumes, flours, grains, nuts/seeds, and spices.  I havent gone to Winco in some time because I have been trying to use up what I have by way of beans and grains, but a trip is due soon because I have run out of smoked paprika and cumin seeds (Gasp! I know!).  Here is a list of a few items I like to have in my pantry and I get at Winco every other month or so when I run out.

• Dried Beans/Legumes
• black beans, white beans, pinto beans, small red beans, kidney beans, cannellini beans, garbanzo beans/chickpeas
• brown lentils, small green french lentils, red lentils, green split peas, yellow split peas, mung beans
• Whole grains/flours
• old fashioned rolled oats
• steel cut oats
• wheatberries
• quinoa - red and white
• rice - long grain brown, short grain brown, jasmine brown, basmati brown, wild black, wild rice mix, Aroborio (risotto rice)
• flours - white (for Kevin), whole wheat, rye, almond, chickpea
• Nuts/Seeds/dried fruits
• sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, raw pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, chia seeds
• raw cashews, walnuts, pecans, unsalted peanuts, hazelnuts
• dried cranberries, raisins, dates, currants
• Spices
• dried parsley, oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil, Italian seasoning
• ground cumin, corriander, smoked paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper, tumeric
• onion powder, garlic powder, dried mustard, dried powdered ginger
• Other grocery items
• tahini
• almond butter
• jarred ginger
• jarred minced garlic
• frozen mixed vegetables

Vitacost

Have you heard of Vitacost?  It is a food, beauty, and supplement ordering website that has tons hard to find health/natural products at discounted prices.  I like that they have search filters that help you find products that are vegan, organic, non-GMO, etc.  If you use THIS LINK, you will get $10 off your first purchase of $30 or more.  Here are a few of the items I like to get from Vitacost a few times a year:

• Cartons of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce (no BPA-lined cans for me!)
• Arrowhead Mills millet and amaranth grains (I cant seem to find these anywhere!)
• Boxes of tea
• Organic ground flaxseeds and chia seeds
• Natural beauty and cleaning products

Making Lists
In the end, almost nobody I know likes grocery shopping, and grocery shopping on a budget can prove to be a big challenge.  With a bit of planning and being creative, you can keep your grocery receipts trim, while the healthful groceries will help you do the same!  By shopping at different stores during different intervals of time, Im able to get the things I need at the best price.  One of the apps that helps me keep track of 3-4 grocery lists is called Buy Me a Pie.  Ive had this app for a while and have come to depend on it to stay organized at each store buying my groceries (and to avoid impulse buying).

Id love to hear some of your grocery shopping budget-managing tips.... :)

Health and Happiness,

Amy

Read More..

Tips on How to Lose Weight Fast

If you need tips on how to lose weight fast, youve come to the right area. You will find free tips on how to lose weight fast and keep it off completely that work. Losing weight can be a hard and challenging task, however, keeping it off proves be an even harder chore. For this reason, you need to uncover weight loss methods that work and will enable you to keep the weight off in the long term.
To be successful with weight loss, you need to be focused as well as motivated to achieve your goals, it will not be easy at the beginning but if you stick with it, you will find the weight loss results that you want and that you simply deserve. The top tips on drop weight fast you will find here will aid you to improve your overall health and you can lose weight.
Top Tips on How to drop weight fast
1. The first tip on getting rid of excess fat is changing your eating habits by replacing unhealthy foods with fat burning foods that you can enjoy each day. You dont have to go on a crash diet to see fast final results, if you stick to eating healthy foods your body will burn off extra fat and you will get the results you want. One mistake people create is dieting on fad or fad diets that promise quick weight loss results. You need to eat in order to healthy foods and the best strategy to stay on track is eating 5 or 6 times a day including snacks.
Eating this way will help one to feel fuller throughout the day and youll not snack unnecessarily. Learn healthy ingredients that you can eat on your current meal plan and avoid skipping dishes.
2. Avoid processed foods and stay totally free of substitutes. This is one of the superior tips on how to burn excess fat as the foods you eat may make you fat or thin. Hence making healthy food choices and preparing your own foods from scratch will save your weight.
3. Learning a meal serving size is also on the list of top tips on how to get rid of weight fast. This will help you to eat reasonable meal portions and also to stop overeating.
4. Drinking plenty of water will keep you feeling fuller whilst your body will not mistake thirst for hunger. Drink at least eight portions of water a day and drinking thirty minutes ahead of or after eating your meal will be advisable. Water intake is one of the top ways to keep your weight in check for many reasons. The key reason being it helps to strengthen along with tone your muscles while flushing come out toxins from your body to give it more chance to burn fat.
Other Tips on How to shed weight fast
5. Eliminating or keeping your stress degrees down is great for losing weight as stress is one of the most important causes for overeating and hence weight gain.
6. One of the best ways to cut back weight that should be combined with goodly eating is regular intensive exercise. It will strengthen your muscles while quickly burning body fat. You have to accomplish a combination of cadio and strength lessons in your routine. You should not abandon all the strain of losing weight on your eating plan, you need to add regular intensive workouts to improve your metabolism and increase your energy levels. You can either join a gym; hire a fitness trainer or workout from dwelling.
7. Always eat breakfast to keep your power levels high throughout the day. You can eat whole eggs with ham and a slice of whole wheat bread plus an apple for breakfast.
8. Do not isolate food groups say proteins, crabs or fatty acids. Instead you should eat healthy food in those food groups. Isolating food groups will cause you to gain more weight once you start eating those ingredients again. Learn the healthy foods by all food groups that you can eat daily.
9. The best tips on how to cut back your weight at work include packing your luncheon and snacks from home. This will assist you to prevent munching on unhealthy snacks as well as eating unhealthy junk foods.
10. When you go dinning out, usually order healthy versions of the ingredients you already love. Start with a bowl or soup and fill ones plate with half vegetables.

11. Other tips on how to melt away body fat include putting pen to be able to paper and jotting down the foods consumed and drinks you take so that one could assess what foods are making a person fat and which foods to excrete from your meal plan.

Read More..

Results so far on my version of Chef AJs Ultimate Weight Loss Program

So how have I been doing since beginning with my version of Chef AJs Ultimate Weight Loss program?  Mentally, Im worlds better!  Physically, Im on the right track.

I mentioned in yesterdays post that I have had a bad relationship with food and food cravings.  This program has helped with that tremendously, along with being vigilant to not look at food blogs.  Instead, I have been enjoying reading some knitting and home improvement blogs.  Overall, I feel like I am more in-tune with my bodys needs and have consistently been eating only when truly hungry.

Since starting the program, I am down 7 lbs and have been steadily losing from week to week.  Along with actual weight loss, I have been feeling slimmer overall, as if what I have been losing has been only fat that has been holding on for a while.  My clothes have been fitting better, even to the point that one of my favorite pairs of jeans were too lose even after a wash and dry.  I think that I still have a good 20-30 lbs to lose before I get within a comfortable healthy weight, but I am encouraged to keep on my same path and let that happen over time.

Another physical change that I have noticed is my skin.  Since I was 15 or so, I have been dealing with acne of some sort.  Some times have been better than others, but I have always had a blemish or pimple on my face to deal with or cover up.  After starting the program, I havent had a single breakout.  As if weight loss wasnt motivation enough!  It has been so nice to use minimal makeup and to not be self conscious of my face.  I have felt more confident as a result.

One thing that has helped me a lot to stay on track is planning my weekly meals ahead of time.  By this I mean my lunches and dinners.  My snacks and veggies for breakfast change up daily depending on what veggies and fruit I have on stock.  For lunches and dinners, I have been batch cooking many of my essentials including brown rice, baked sweet potatoes, as well as soups and chilis.

For brown rice, I cook it once a week in my pressure cooker, generally making 8-12 cups in the end.  I leave about 2-4 cups in the fridge and freeze the rest in 2 cup portions in baggies.  Over the next week, I pull out and defrost what is needed.  Kevin eats quite a bit of rice although he is not following my same plan, so we go through my stock pretty regularly.

The sweet potatoes I either bake 4-6 at a time and store them in the fridge until I need them, or I have been taking raw potatoes to work and baking them in our toaster oven in a pinch.  My sweet potatoes are generally my favorite food within a day.  Often I chop them up and add them to my soup or chili, eat them plain by themselves, or top them with a vegetable or bean based sauce (like Chef AJs Yummy Sauce).

The chilis and soups I have been making include my favorite Three Bean Chili, Summer Vegetable Corn Chowder, Potato Leek Soup, Mexican Pinto Bean Soup, and Creamy Broccoli Soup.  The nice thing about most chilis and soups is that my husband will eat them, so I dont have to worry about his meals very much.

Thats all for now folks.  Ill be coming back later next week with a few more posts about some fun traveling, crafts, and home improvements we have been doing.  See you next time! :)

Health and Happiness,

Amy

Read More..

Dr Fuhrman on the Dr Oz Show and Medicine

Thanks for the positive feedback on the new blog design!  I like the white and brightness of it; I feel it gives me a better sense of clarity (hopefully my readers feel the same way).  I would also like to say welcome to any new readers!  Whether you are coming from Google or from the link I left in my comment on the Dr. Oz show Tuesday featuring Dr. Fuhrman and his life changing nutrition ideology, I hope any information or recipes you find on my blog is helpful to encourage you to make any changes that will help you to greater health!

Today I would like to discuss the topics presented on the Dr. Oz show today.  In my opinion, the topics that were presented this time that Dr. Fuhrman was on were much more to the point of the Nutritarian lifestyle: that your food determines your health by preventing western disease, while also allowing you to lose weight.  (On Dr. Fs last appearance on the show, I felt that he was overly rushed and that the people selected from the audience were not good examples of people willing to make changes for their long-term health.)  Here are some good quotes from this episode that made some great points:

"Use food as your medicine"- Dr. Oz

"Lets say you brought your car to the mechanic because the dashboard was flashing: OIL OIL OIL!  When you took it in there, the mechanic cut the wire to the dashboard so you couldnt see the oil light flashing.  So, you continue to drive the car with no oil.  Well, medications give people a false sense that they are taking care of themselves.  [Over time]... they need more medications and more medications.  What Im saying here is that medications function like permission slips to enable people to continue their diet styles which are causing the disease to inevitably advance."-Dr. Fuhrman

"Now we know that you dont have to have heart disease,  you dont have high blood pressure, you dont have to have diabetes, and we can win the war on cancer.  Food is the secret here."-Dr. Fuhrman

I know that I think often about the topics presented, but to those hearing it for the first time, I hope that it gives you hope and motivation.  Other topics discussed included the concept of Dr. Fs flipped food pyramid, pictured below.  I think the pyramid makes a whole lot of sense.  I mean, why wouldnt you want to put the most amounts of the most nutritious foods on the bottom?

Another great visual for new-comers to have, in my opinion, is the picture representing nutrient density.  AKA, the amount of nutrients (micronutrients and phytonutrients) per calorie of food.  Also think of the volumes of food per calorie entering into your digestive system.

Did you see the Dr. Oz episode?  

What were your thoughts?

Read More..