The benefits of eating breakfast

You may skip breakfast because you want to loose weight, you don’t have time or just because you don’t have a appetite in the morning.
Unfortunately if loosing weight is what your going for, your plan will most likely backfire. Skipping meals, especially breakfast could actually be what’s stopping you from reaching your weight loss goals. There are people who function we’ll without breakfast but if your not one of those people don’t skip it! You know your body, listen to it. Instead of going on about the harmful effects of skipping breakfast I decided to gather a list of reasons you should eat breakfast

1. Eating breakfast boost your metabolism. By eating a healthy meal within an hour of waking up your telling your body to start working and stop conserving! When you skip breakfast your body feels like it needs to conserve its energy therefore conserving fat as well.

2. “Short on time? Eating a wholesome, nutritious morning meal will probably save you time in the long run. By recharging the brain and body, you’ll be more efficient in just about everything you do.” –webmd

3. By starting your food intake early you have more of a chance of getting all the nutrients and vitamins that your body needs.

4. “Improved concentration and performance in the classroom or the boardroom.” –webmd

Why the concept of “food prep” isn’t just for bodybuilders

Have you ever been hungry but didn’t have time to make something to eat so you ran to the nearest fast food restaurant to calm your hunger?
Do you have cravings for unhealthy treats and foods that will do nothing for you physically?
Are you constantly on the road and don’t have time to prepare every meal at home? A lot of us have done this or do this on a constant basis , if you don’t then that’s great for you!

Food prep is a term short for food preparation. Food prep means to prepare your food for yourself! Some people do it for the entire week. some prepare for 2-3 days, while others only for that 1-2 days. Depending on your schedule and preferences you will decided how far ahead you want to prepare for.

Food prep makes choosing healthy choices easier. Instead of running to Taco Bell save even more time and money by having your food on hand. By carrying a cooler or insulated lunch bag filled with healthy treats you’ll have no excuses! Plus when you buy in bulk it’s usually cheaper 😉

When you choose healthier choices your body will thank you and you will reach your fitness goals faster!

How do you food prep? Comment below and let me know how you stay on track!
Thank you for reading

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or licensed dietitian. Please contact your physician to make sure this is right for you. I also do not have any affiliations with the link provided

10 Alternatives to candy

If your like me and you crave candy and sugar a lot. Then not eating sugar could sounds like a nightmare to you. I’m not saying that I never succumb to my cravings but when I do I usually feel awful afterwards. Not because I feel guilty for eating it but it actually makes me feel really bad and bloated. So when those cravings do come around I usually try to opt for something sweet but healthy too! Here is a list of a few healthy alternatives to candy and processed foods. These treats should definitely kick your sugar cravings!

1. Pineapple is my personal favorite. It is sweet & sour at the same time with a tropical flavor that is very refreshing.

2. Grapes

3. Apples baked in cinnamon.

Ingredients: 1 Sliced apple, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1/2 lemon, 1 tablespoon brown sugar.

Instructions:   Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Toss sliced apple with the cinnamon, lemon and brown sugar. Place in a baking or casserole dish. cook for 30 minutes until soft and juicy, stirring occasionally. serve with ice cream or enjoy plain. *to keep it on the healthier side skip the brown sugar and ice cream!

4. Greek Yogurt with honey and Fruit *some ground flax seed never hurt anyone 😉

not only will it satisfy your sweet tooth but it will also help keep you full since Greek yogurt is packed with carbs and protein. Honey and fruit contain antioxidants and antimicrobial properties, which help keep us healthy.

5. Frozen banana dipped in chocolate

Kill your craving of ice cream with this healthy treat.

Dip a banana in melted dark chocolate and freeze. Bananas are rich in potassium which has been linked to lowering blood pressure and  reduced risk of stroke.

6. Dark Chocolate , nuts and granola

7. A FRUIT smoothie is always a yummy healthy treat. (Tip: pineapple covers the taste of kale and spinach amazingly!!) try it out. Maybe you can sneak some veggies in your sweet treat. *Add some yogurt and ground flax seed and you basically have a meal on the go.

8. Organic peanut butter and whole grain toast/English muffin

9. Orange, banana, berries, watermelon, cherries, apples, kiwis, pomegranate seeds, melon, grapes ect.

10. Dried fruit

What’s your favorite healthy sweet treat?

14 ways to find time for fitness

1. Log off Facebook, the average person spends at least 20 minutes on Facebook a day

2.  Turn your commute into cardio, you don’t have to run the entire way home. Park farther away or get off the bus a few stops earlier and walk the rest of the way.

3.Get up earlier, I am not saying to skimp on sleeping. Sleeping is a very essential aspect to fitness and your health. Maybe go to sleep a little earlier or sleep in your workout clothes so you can just wake up and go! Being a morning exerciser means you get to cross that workout off your list first thing in the morning. It feels great

4. Turn the TV off, trade that 30 minutes you would waste watching something pointless and do something to benefit yourself.

5. If you must watch your favorite show at least be active while watching. Squats, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, push ups, lunges and planks are all great exercises that you can do from the comfort of your living room. Make sure while doing these exercises to do each rep with correct form in order to improve your body not harm it.  That’s is one reason why I do recommend getting a personal trainer  to help teach you the correct form of each exercise.

6.If you have a child, put them in a stroller and go for a run! If there big enough to run, let them run with you. why not treat them to a fun activity that will benefit them and cost nothing!

7. Its ok to start small. Take a 5 minute walk once a day. maybe in a few months you will be taking 30 minute walks, you have to start somewhere.

8. Be motivated by money, there are apps now that pay you for working out!  Even some that help you donate to your favorite charity!

9. Be motivated by peer pressure, other Fitness apps allow you to keep track of your eating habits, fitness routines and even post pictures of your progress “”When people are watching, you just behave better,”” -co founder of fitID Kenneth Yim

10. Make an appointment, an appointment with yourself should be important. you usually wouldn’t cancel on your dentist or doctor appointment. Treat your time for fitness like an appointment.

11. Invest in a personal trainer. Literally make an appointment for your fitness with a personal trainer. when you know someone’s waiting for you your more likely to show up!

12. let your significant other know your schedule or plan to work out ahead of time so there is no conflict of schedule or guilty feelings when it comes time to workout.

13. Always keep your workout clothes with you, you never know when you’ll be stuck with an extra 30 minutes to get your daily activity in.

14. Take several 5-10 minutes breaks to exercise throughout the day. By the end of the day you can complete a hour workout without actually having to take a whole hour chunk out of your day. The benefits are the same as continuous exercise.

Keep in mind every one makes mistakes and there are always bumps in life that knock you down. Don’t let it get you down. Do a burpee and get right the fuck up!

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, Please contact your physician to make sure this is right for you. I also do not have any affiliations with the link provided

tips and tricks to Help You Quit Smoking cigarettes

1. Have a reason to quit, once you find a reason keep that reason in your head every time you doubt quitting remember your reason.

2. Quit cold turkey, every single puff you take is like taking a step back. and every single minute you don’t is like taking a step forward into non smoking land. think of nicotine as a drug, just like heroin and morphine, smoking cigarettes triggers the release of addictive “feel-good” brain chemicals . Every puff you take makes you more addicted, so just quit! It will suck for the first few days. but just think how you will never have to go through that again and you will no longer be a slave to the cigarette company.

3.Suck it up

4.Each craving should only last 3 to 5 minutes, so find something to occupy your time. ex) Eat healthy food, exercise, do hand stands, do yoga, Clean your house, Clean your car, Do laundry, Study, Meditate, find a new hobby, call family or friends etc..

5.Drink more water

6.Sleep more

7. calculate your savings with cool apps on your smart phone. Some include how much time and money you save along with how many cigarettes you haven’t smoked and how many days it has been since the last time you puffed.Some have chat rooms and games to help occupy you during  cravings, most have rewards for random events like 1 week, 50 cigarettes not smoked, $100 saved along with the health benefits that come along with quitting etc… seeing these things really helps put things into perspective

8. put a pencil or pen between your fingers if your having trouble occupying your fingers.

9.  Take deep breaths of Clean air!

10.Look up the health risk of smoking.

11. avoid alcohol or other things that trigger cravings. One of mine was driving, I went to the drive in movies a lot. I don’t do that as much any more, but there’s no need to. You can go to the regular movies.

12. Its common to relapse. Don’t give up. Try and try again. Just remember every time you do you have to go through those first few days again.

13. Choose something to reward yourself with all the money you’ll be saving.

14. Try a vapor pen with low levels of nicotine if you really want to just ease down on the smoking process instead of quitting cold turkey these will help with the nicotine craving without all the other chemicals in cigarettes. but remember that’s just trading a habit for a habit so you will have another habit to tackle later.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or licensed dietitian. Please contact your physician to make sure this is right for you. I also do not have any affiliations with the link provided

Related articles

• Adding Years to Your Life By Kicking the Cigarette Habit (weightloss.answers.com)
• Key Tips for Dealing With Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms (smoking.answers.com)
• Benefits Of Quitting Smoking (mademan.com)
• Quit the cigarettes and stop burning your money! (browseandsave.co.uk)

What is the best way to lose weight?

I hear this question all the time in the fitness world. Honestly there is no one specific “best way” to loose weight. Each client will respond differently to a training program, however I think the basic principles you need to include during a weight loss program are cardio + resistance + nutrition + Sleep . A combination of these four things creates a fat burning machine. Cardio gets your heart rate up and helps you burn more calories. Resistance and or strength training helps you gain muscle, more muscle leads to greater caloric expenditure during everyday activities. Nutrition is the key factor when it comes to weight loss because the number one rule for weight loss is to have a calorie deficit, simply meaning to use more calories in a day then you consume. When you combine these four basic fitness techniques you should see great results.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or licensed dietitian. Please contact your physician to make sure this is right for you. I also do not have any affiliations with the link provided

10 Reason why I exercise and you should too.

1. Exercise gives me energy.
2. Exercise makes me feel powerful.
3. Exercise improves my mood.
4. Exercise boost my creative thinking.
5. Exercise improves my confidence.
6. Exercise improves my perspective of my body image
7. Exercise Reduces stress
8. Exercise improves concentration 
9. Exercise has greatly improved my skin tone and color.
10. Exercise gives me something to look forward to everyday.

The list could go on but those are a few of the reasons why I workout and some of the benefits that come along with it.

Comment Below to let me know some of the reasons why you exercise.
I would love to hear from you!

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or licensed dietitian. Please contact your physician to make sure this is right for you. I also do not have any affiliations with the link provided

Related articles

• What Are The Best Abdominal Exercises? (healthylifestylesuccess.com)
• 5 Reasons to exercise during exam week (sourcepa.com)
• Quick Morning Exercise (theredglass.wordpress.com)

Exercise and Fitness equiptment reviews

Here  I am going to be reviewing and explaining how to use all the fun toys (Fitness equipment) such as weight machines,body weight exercises, cardio equipment, pulley systems, free weights, bosu balls etc.. featured in most gyms today. If they are not in your gym, hopefully I can help you locate them at a gym near you. I am also going to be showing you how to use the proper form and movements to help improve your exercise and your physique.

Please vote below and let me know what fitness machine you would like to learn about first! If you have one in mind that is not on the list feel free to comment below.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or licensed dietitian. Please contact your physician to make sure this is right for you. I also do not have any affiliations with the link provided

Related articles

• Using Fitness Equipment – Lat Machines (healthy-weight-loss-made-easy.com)
• Exercise Machines for the Home (e-prescribe.biz)
• Fitness Equipment – Free Weight Systems (healthy-weight-loss-made-easy.com)

spinach avocado berrry salad

• 2 cups of organic spinach
• 4 strawberries cleaned and cut in half
• 1/4 avocado
• 4 cleaned blackberries

 

nutrition facts:

*all nutrition facts are based on educated guesses

calories:                    123

sodium:                     42

sugars:                      4.33

protein:                      3

dietary fiber:              6.99

carbohydrates:         13.43

fat:                               8.56

potassium:                354mg