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  Fat Chance

What are your plans for this weekend? A great way to promote weight loss is to pack your weekends with physical activities. Weed the garden, walk the dog, plan a bike trip, or clean out the garage. The key is to keep on moving.

This coleslaw is both tangy and sweet for a tasty side dish. Best of all it contains none of the fat that regular coleslaw is loaded with. Enjoy this fruity dish as a side to any meal and as a delicious way to fill up on both fruits and veggies.

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup (8 ounces) fat-free plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juices
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 can (16 ounces) reduced-sugar fruit cocktail
• 2 cups blueberries
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 medium ripe banana, sliced
• 1 package (16 ounces) coleslaw mix

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, honey, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper.
2. Add the fruit cocktail, blueberries, strawberries and banana.
3. Stir in coleslaw mix. Enjoy.

In a quest for weight loss, 250 calories doesn’t seem like a significant number, does it? Could this teeny number really help you drop pounds? Yes, it can. The truth is that dropping as little as 250 calories each day can result in almost 30 pounds shed over 12 short months.

Think of it this way: 1 pound is made up of 3,500 calories, which holds 250 a total of 14 times. When you cut 250 calories off the top of your daily caloric tally, the result will be a pound lost every 2 weeks. In other words, you will drop up to 2 pounds every month.

Are you still with me? I know that we live in a world filled with “no sweat” plans to “easily” drop 30 pounds in a month, and I’m talking about losing that much over 12 months—but hear me out.

While your emotions may be stirred by a compelling advertisement for expedited weight 1oss, the truth is that gradual weight loss has been proven to not only be healthier, it also is more likely to stay off.

You see, by gradually cutting 250 calories out of your daily tally, you are doing something very powerful and necessary towards the successful achievement of your goals. You are improving your lifestyle. And that is the key to fitness and weight 1oss success.

Incorporate one of these activities into your daily life, and enjoy healthy long-term weight 1oss:

1. Drink plain coffee instead of a frappuccino

Flavored coffee drinks may be delicious, but did you know that they are bursting with calories? Whenever you find yourself in line at the coffee shop, stick with plain coffee or tea instead of sugar-filled “dessert drinks”.

1. Pass on a doughnut or pastry

A single doughnut may seem innocent enough, besides everyone is eating them at the office meeting, why shouldn’t you? The truth is that doughnuts and pastries, though a workplace favorite, are hidden goldmines of fat and calories. For each doughnut you refuse to eat consider the 250 calories falling off of your waistline, and smile to yourself.

1. Jog for 30 minutes

Want in on a little secret? The hardest part about a simple 30 minute jog is the act of getting your shoes on and walking out the door. It’s true. Once you are halfway down the street you will realize that jogging is actually fun—add to that the fact that you are burning calories and you have yourself an all around good deal.

1. Exchange 20 oz of regular soda for water

By now you know that soda pop is not good for you—so why are you still drinking it? Every time you crave an ice cold cola picture swallowing spoonfuls of white sugar. Yikes, talk about a set up for weight gain. Stick with water and kiss those extra calories goodbye.

1. Swim laps for 30 minutes

If your response to my jogging suggestion was ‘I have bad joints’, then you are in luck. Swimming is one of the best aerobic activities you can do, and it is impact-free. When you swim you recruit your entire body, a process which requires lots of energy—AKA calories.

1. Eat an apple instead of a cookie

If you are like most people I know, then you probably get a hankering for something sweet after dinner. While your first instinct may be to reach for a cookie or a bowl of ice cream, why not consider what nature has to offer? Fruit is sweet, natural and lower in calories than baked goods.

1. Clean house for 60 minutes

Don’t think that all calorie burning has to take place in a gym. Vacuuming, dusting, folding laundry and doing dishes—they all require a little elbow grease, which results in calories burned. The next time your house needs a polish, don’t grit your teeth—this means free calorie burning for you.

And if you really want to kick it up a notch and stoke those flames – hire a personal trainer who can take you from start to finish in less time then you think. Want to find the best personal trainer in town? Well, just send me an e-mail.

Did you know that sleep is a vital component for weight loss? A study done at the University of Chicago concluded that people who got less than four hours of sleep actually had increased levels of the hormone cortisol and insulin—which are linked to a difficulty in processing carbohydrates. Tonight go to bed early, aim for 8 hours of sleep, and wake up fitter.

Are you bored with run-of-the-mill sandwiches at lunch time? In this gourmet treat turkey sandwich ingredients are neatly stacked on a raisin bagel for a fun new flavor. Experiment with your favorite bagel flavor and deli meat.

Ingredients

• 1 Cinnamon Raisin Bagel, split
• 1 Tablespoon Reduced-Fat Cream Cheese
• 2 Lettuce Leaves
• 4-6 slices Deli Smoked Turkey Breast
• 1 fresh Dill Sprig
• 1 sliced Green Onion
• 1 slice Reduced-Fat Swiss Cheese
• 2 thin Tomato slices
• Sprinkle of Salt
• Sprinkle of Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Reduced-Fat Mayonnaise

Instructions

1. Lightly toast bagel; spread the bottom half with cream cheese.
2. Layer lettuce, turkey, dill, onions, cheese and tomato. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Spread mayonnaise on top half of bagel and place over tomato. Enjoy.

We have been told time and time again that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet nearly one-fifth of all adults choose to pass on the Wheaties. What is the big deal about breakfast? Can a solid breakfast really make or break your fitness goals? Read on as I answer your most pressing questions on this popular subject…

Why eat Breakfast?
Let’s dissect the word ‘breakfast’. When you take it apart you find two words with an all-important hidden message. Break – Fast. I can hear your wheels spinning on this one! That’s right, breakfast is the meal that breaks the fast that your body goes into each and every night when you sleep.

When breakfast is skipped, your body continues to fast until you eat later in the day.

This is a problem for two reasons.

Problem #1: Your brain needs fuel to function at its peak. This fuel comes in the form of glucose derived from food and is needed to walk, talk and perform all other activities. When you skip breakfast your brain is forced to work extra hard in breaking down stored carbohydrates or to turn fats and proteins into usable forms of glucose. Eating breakfast has been proven to improve concentration, increase your problem solving capabilities, enhance overall mental performance and even boosts your memory and mood.

Problem #2: Your metabolism will go into ‘famine’ mode. Three to four hours after you eat, your metabolism shuts down and acts as if it needs to store food. This is a great function to have if a famine were to break out, leaving you without food for days. Since this is likely not the case for you, it is pretty annoying when your body starts packing on the pounds in an attempt to protect you from starvation! Eating breakfast communicates with your body the fact that you are healthy, well fed and not in need of extra fat storage.

What about the cut calories?
“Skipping breakfast is how I cut calories out of my diet.” I can’t tell you how often I hear this response when I encourage people to eat breakfast. What these “calorie cutters” don’t realize is that they are the ones who turn to snacking later in the day in an attempt to ward off low energy levels. Allowing your body to become over-hungry leads to distorted satiety signals, and leaves the door wide open for overeating later in the day.

Start your day with breakfast and then continue to eat smaller meals and snacks throughout the day for optimal calorie burning.

What’s for Breakfast?
Now that you are convinced that breakfast is worth your time, it’s time to decide what to have! A recent study done by FoodWatch, a Minnesota-based consulting firm that watches food trends, revealed that most people are basically eating dessert for breakfast, due to the high quantities of on-the-go breakfast foods that are processed, packaged and pumped full of refined carbohydrates. Another study recently proved that high fiber, low fat breakfasts promote healthy weight control much more effectively than highly refined breakfast foods.

Try the following On-The-Go Breakfast Selections for a blend of hearty carbohydrates, protein and fat and experience optimal morning energy.

• Low Fat Yogurt with Fresh Fruit
• Low Fat Cottage Cheese and a Cherry Oatmeal Muffin (see recipe below)
• Hard Boiled Egg and Whole Wheat Toast
• Scrambled Egg White on Half a Bagel
• Whole Wheat Tortilla rolled with Scrambled Egg Beaters and Salsa
• Soy Milk with Whole Grain Cereal and Fresh Fruit

Do you know the absolute BEST way to GAIN pounds? Not eating. Does that come as a surprise? Fasting for extended periods of time actually slows your metabolism (your body’s rate of calorie burning).

Add to that the fact that you will lose muscle and energy by not supplying your body with proper nutrients.

Instead of not eating at all try just eating less!

Every bite of this hearty muffin is packed with pure energy! Oatmeal and dried cherries blend with fresh oranges for a low-fat, low-sugar breakfast taste that is far from ordinary. Yield 12 tasty muffins.

Ingredients:

• • 1 cup Quick Cooking rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup All-Purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup Whole Wheat flour
  • 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 grated rind of a Whole Orange
  • 1/2 cup Dried Cherries chopped
  • 1/3 cup Low-fat Milk
  • 1 Egg, beaten
  • 1/4 cup Oil
  • 1/4 cup Light Sour Cream
  • 2 tablespoon Light Cream Cheese
  • 1/4 cup Juice of one Orange

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place 12 muffin liners in a muffin pan.
In a medium bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients together. Add the wet ingredients and mix until the dry ingredients are just moistened—Be careful to not over-mix.
Fill each muffin tin ¾ full. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy.

What if I told you that the Fountain of Youth had been discovered and that you could reap the benefits of its life-extending, body-enhancing powers today? You would probably think I had either lost my mind or that I was about to pitch a new line of supplements to you! But it’s true, the Fountain of Youth exists, and I need you to read on, because these next few paragraphs will change the way you view your body forever:

Age creeps up on you in the form of lowered metabolism, easier weight gain and aching muscles and joints. In fact, at the age of 50 most people begin to lose 12% of their muscle strength and 6% of their muscle mass with each passing decade. It’s no wonder that for centuries people have been so intrigued with finding the Fountain of Youth!

But did you know the real culprit behind age-related ailments? Disuse That’s right—your body feels the effects of aging most when you don’t use it! Makes sense, doesn’t it? In youth we are generally active and vigorous, and as the years pass by we tend to be more cautious and less apt toward physical activity. This disuse takes quite a toll on our bodies.

Exercise is the Fountain of Youth.

Exercise is the only proven way to drastically combat aging and to regain your youthful body. In fact, most people are able to regain up to 1/3 of their muscle strength and mass after participating in an exercise program for just a couple of months. Many studies have also shown that seniors who exercise regularly live longer than those who don’t. Isn’t that amazing!

What if you aren’t 50 yet—maybe not even 40? Should you simply sit back and relax, since aging is so far off in your future? No! If you are younger than 50, I still have one piece of advice for you—exercise! By making exercise a part of your daily life you are in the position to arm yourself against ever feeling the full effect of aging on your body. What a powerful thing! And guess what? Exercise brings you a plethora of other benefits as well.

And you thought that exercise was only useful for losing weight! Not only will exercise increase your strength and muscle mass, check out this list of the proven benefits of exercise:

• improved sleeping patterns
• improved blood profile
• increase in bone density
• increased life expectancy
• improved cardiovascular health
• decrease in life-threatening conditions, such as diabetes, insulin resistance and heart disease
• increased muscle strength
• decreased blood pressure
• improved psychological health
• increase in mobility and flexibility

Wow! Did you know that exercise could do all of that for you? It has been proven that regular exercise will help keep you younger even as your age increases. And we are talking about both physical and metal youth.

So now that you know the secret power of exercise, what should you do to harness it? Participate in a regular exercise program and feel younger and more vibrant than ever! Making the decision to get into shape will be the best one you make in your life, and I encourage you to contact me to jump start your exercise program.

Don’t be discouraged by friends or family who do not support you in your journey towards a healthier, slimmer lifestyle. Quite often people find it intimidating and even frightening when someone important in their life begins to make life altering changes.

Keep your chin up and keep smiling!

Who knows, you may be able to improve their life and convert them to a healthier lifestyle!

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