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Showing posts from July, 2011

Loaf Lessons

Here are some tips on picking the right type of breads to kick your weight loss into gear. Go for Grains.   Look for 100% whole grain or 100% whole wheat.   Reading the label is where you find out the “whole” truth.   Make sure one of the first ingredients on the list is whole wheat or whole grain flour. Do the math.   When selecting bread, rolls, buns and wraps the ones labeled low carb, reduced calorie or low calorie may be your best bet when it comes to keeping your daily calories low, but if they’re light on fiber, you’re missing out on the “full factor”.   If you are looking to feel full longer be on the lookout for breads with at least 3 grams of fiber per serving. Hold the Mold.   Wonder why the loaf you bought 2 days ago is already showing signs of mold?   Light and organic breads are high in water content and this speeds up the mold process.   How to slow this down?   Put your bread in a bread box in a cool location or stick it in the fridge!   If when you take a sli

Lower Body Makeover

Step One (the easy one) Complaint-Wide Hips Try this out, dark wash jeans with 2% spandex and a contoured waistband, the dark color of the jean is flattering to your lower half and the fitted waistband stops gapping at your midsection.   Avoid jeans with a straight waistband and stay away from fading or intricate details across the lap area which draws attention to wide hips.   Complaint-Full Thighs Wearing a trouser style jean that falls straight down from the hips disguising fullness from the thighs.   Avoid any fading that goes down the thigh, which draws attention to full thighs.   You’ll also want to steer clear of stretchy jeans such as jeggings which call attention to all those areas that you’re trying to hide.   Complaint-Big Bottom Find some jeans with a rise that is higher in the back than the front.   The extra fabric in the back will keep your rear view covered, if you pair that with plain style medium sized pockets this will balance out a fuller rear.   Try to av

Flab to Fab

Check out this super quick workout fifteen minutes to be exact, to curb the muffin top, smooth out those hips and trim your thighs: Click here for a printable version. Butterfly : Targets abs, butt, hamstrings and inner/outer thighs Stand with your feet wider than shoulder width apart, toes turned out and arms extended out to your sides at shoulder level with your palms down Bend your knees until thighs are parallel to the floor and lower your arms so that your wrists cross in front of your hips Hold for a count of 3 then squeeze your glutes as you straighten your legs and rise onto your toes (or jump in the air) Sweep your arms out to the sides and up until your wrists cross overhead Do 2 sets of 16 reps Bend and Stretch : Targets shoulders, back, abs, butt, thighs and calves) Start in downward dog, get on all fours on the mat, tuck toes under and press hips up to form an inverted V Shift hips back slightly and bend knees toward chest as you round your back into a t

Lifting Weights

There is no magical rep range when it comes to blasting fat and building muscle.  What you have to do it keep your body guessing.  This boosts your fat burning potential and helps you bust through plateaus.  Switching between higher volume and higher intensity is the key! Try this out for fat burning magic...Do fifteen-twenty reps per exercise using a lighter weight for four weeks, then switch to eight to twelve reps per exercise using a heavier weight for the next four weeks.  Then just continue alternating the cycle every four weeks.  This will do a little bit of muscle confusion, keeping your body guessing and most importantly burning fat!

Boot Camp

Fitness boot camps never go out of style.  The reason?  You blast calories in a short amount of time.  The military inspired workouts burn serious calories basically because they are built on three fundamentals of training: cardio, strength and agility.  Boot camp workouts require little more than your body weight to get results.  These workouts are more intense and are usually more fun than your typical gym workout. Try these do-it-yourself tips to make your own boot camp style workout and kick your body transformation into high gear. Stick to the basics :  No props required so ditch your weights and stability ball and bring yourself back to simple by stringing together exercises such as jumping jacks, push-ups and squats.  Put these items into a circuit that go from one move to the next with little to no rest in between and your on your way to making your body a resistance machine! Follow the clock :  Set a time limit for each exercise and stick to it.  Set a time limit of betwee

Red Dress Run

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Completed my second 5K of the 2011 season.  My 2nd time participating in the Red Dress Run in Elizabeth Park in Hartford, CT.  Summer running is a tough one..it was in the 80's this morning for the run and the sun was a blazin'.  Final time this morning 34:58!  Not too shabby, I'll take it, along with a nap this afternoon hopefully.

30 Foods That Fight Fat

By Elizabeth Ward, R.D. Women's Health We all know our bodies need calcium for bones, vitamin C to fend off colds, and chocolate to save relationships. But when it comes to losing weight, the nutritional information is a little more confusing. The mighty trilogy of nutrients - protein, carbohydrates, and fat - garners most of the diet industry's attention, but it's becoming much more clear that fiber needs to be the fourth leg of the dietary table. Study after study shows that not only does fiber help lower your risk of cancer, heart attack, and high blood pressure, but it also keeps you full and helps you decrease the total amount of calories you consume every day. Trouble is, most of us think that getting the recommended 30 grams of fiber a day means eating cereal that tastes like the box it comes in. But that's not the case; you can sneak fiber into your diet anywhere. At Breakfast:   Drop a whole orange into the blender to flavor your morning smoothie. One p