Healthy Ways to Detox

Hello everyone!


Lately detoxes have been all over the place. And they usually involve some form of severe deprivation, expensive kits, or other craziness.


There are cheaper, healthier ways to detox! 

No need to live on a constant diet of pureed smoothies.

Here's some things you can do!


1. Skip added sugared-foods. Sugar spikes blood sugar and when eaten too much, it makes you feel tired and groggy.


2. Skip "bad" fats. Avoid anything deep fried and ESPECIALLY avoid anything with hydrogenated oils in them. (Trans fats)


3. Eat more protein.  Lean protein helps calm blood sugar and keeps you full. Try not to get processed meats like sausages and deli meats because those have high amounts of sodium and nitrates which aren't great for you either.  Ideally, take weight in pounds, divide by 2, and that is the amount of protein grams you should have every day.


4. Avoid alcohol. Seems like a no brainer but alcohol stresses the liver. 


5. Eat more fiber.   Fiber also keeps you full and pulls cholesterol out of the bloodstream and take it out with it. 


6. Eat often. Eat at least 3 times a day to keep your blood sugar and hunger levels down.  Eating more foods like eggs, steak, and some cheeses may actually help lose more weight if that is your goal. 


These tips actually seem like common sense, and they are not drastic (unless you eat fast food full of sugar every single day) or expensive. 

How to make homemade Oreos

Hello everyone!




If you're an Oreo cookie fan but don't like all the chemicals that are in store-bought oreos, I found a recipe that might be for you.

Oreo-style Cookies from Scratch (adapted from One Girl Cookies Bakery)

Chocolate Wafers

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

¾ cup white sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

½ teaspoon table salt

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 eggs

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and butter for 30 seconds. Stir them together and microwave an additional 30 seconds. Repeat this process until chocolate and butter have both melted.

Using either a hand-held mixer with the beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle, combine melted chocolate and butter, and mix on low speed for 20 seconds.

Add eggs one at a time and mix on low speed until fully combined. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 10 seconds. Finish mixing with ingredients with a rubber spatula by hand.

Using two sheets of parchment paper roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness.

Refrigerate dough for one hour or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Using a small round cookie cutter cut out as many rounds as possible and place one inch apart on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. You can reroll the scraps once.

Bake for five minutes, then rotate the pan in the oven and bake an additional five minutes.

When the cookies are cool enough to handle, fill with cream filling (see directions below). Set aside for 20 minutes while the filling firms up.

Cream filling

2 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)

1 pinch table salt

2 cups confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using either a hand-held mixer with the beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle, cream butter and salt at medium speed until light and fluffy

Add half the confectioner's sugar and mix on low for 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl.

Add vanilla and mix on low for 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl.

Gradually mix in remaining confectioners' sugar, holding some back until you reach the desired consistency. It should be smooth and spreadable, but not so runny that it will drip off the cookie.

Fill chocolate wafers with pastry bag fitted with small tip. You can also spread carefully with a knife or small spatula. A modest amount (about a teaspoon per cookie) is better so it doesn't squeeze out from between the wafers.

More crunchless abs!

Hello everyone!




If you hate crunches, I found a video that has some more ab workouts that have nothing to do with crunches. 

From what I see there is planking and it seems very pilates-based.  However, always remember that all the ab workouts in the world won't help if you don't watch your diet! :)


Have a great day everyone!

61 ways to lose weight easily

Hello everyone! 


Do you think weight loss only occurs while making big, major changes?  Sometimes it's the small things that count too! 

I found a list of 61 small changes you can make that may also make a change in your body and health.


1. Have a clear goal.  

2. Drink tea.  

3. Eat cayenne pepper.  

4. Decrease/eliminate processed carbs.  

5. Eat more veggies.  

6. Eat more fruit.  

7. Lift weights.  

8. Cut down rest time between sets.  

9. Do intervals. 

10. Eat more protein.  

11. Eat protein more frequently. 

12. Supplement with fish oil.  

13. Do full body exercises.  

14. Cycle your carb intake based on your activity level.  

15. Start your meals with a salad.  

16. Don't forget the fiber.  

17. Drink water.  

18. Add beans to your salads.  

19. Replace one meal a day with a large salad and lean protein.  

20. Keep a food journal.  

21. Watch your portions. 

22. Switch to calorie-free drinks.  

23. Weigh yourself.  

24. Eat whole eggs.  

25. Eat breakfast.  

26. Eat the bulk of your meals in the A.M.  

27. To burn more calories, stay upright.  

28. Use the stairs.  

29. Eat low-energy, dense foods. 

30. Don't grocery shop hungry. 

31. Replace side dishes with steamed veggies. 

32. Bake, don't fry.

33. Use the fat-burner in your backyard: Your grill.  

34. Order dressing on the side.  

35. In the airport: Carry your luggage, don't roll it.  

36. Skip the "Venti lattes" and opt for plain coffee.  

37. Embrace oats.  

38. Fidget. 

39. Laugh often.  

40. Leave something on your plate at the end of the meal.  

41. When out to eat, split a meal. 

42. Skip dessert.

43. Don't socialize around the food tables at parties.  

44. Don't eat your kid's leftovers.  

45. Keep chips, dips, and other high fat junk foods out of the house.  

46. If you have a dog, take him for a walk.  

47. If you don't have a pet, offer to walk a neighbor's dog.  

48. Use smaller plates and bowls.  

49. Skip buffets.  

50. Slow down when eating.  

51. Decrease your food intake by 100 calories per day. 

52. Buy a pedometer and accumulate at least 10,000 steps each day.

53. When possible, walk or bike to do your errands.

54. Don't buy in bulk.  

55. Plan ahead. 

56. Keep some healthy snacks

57. Take before pictures.

58. Get new friends.

59. Put yourself first. 

60. Remember: It's not all or nothing. 

61. Wake up early to exercise. 

Source

Do you have any little tips for weight loss? Post in the comments below!

Planning Healthy Meals on a Budget

Hello everyone!




I was browsing around and found some tips on eating Paleo/Ketogenic on a budget.  Just because it's healthy doesn't mean expensive.  I will be posting my own meal plan for the next week (if I can) soon.


Some tips:


1. Eat lots of eggs
2. Buy canned vegetables
3. Buy frozen produce
4. Buy meat on its sell-by date.


I found an article with these tips with more details.  For that article click here. 

Ketogenic Diet On A Budget

Hello everyone!


I have lately been trying the Ketogenic diet on and off but I have to plan it better.  


My main concern is price.  I am reading up on what kind of foods are good and what aren't.

Ketogenic Food Pyramid

I also found a list of approved foods here.  I am still not great at planning meals and such out, so I need to learn and do it. 

Do you guys know any good websites on food planning? 

Turbo Fire

Hello everyone!


Lately I have been hearing a lot about Turbo Fire, so I decided to see what it was about.





Turbo Fire is a very high energy workout from the same trainer who created Turbo Jam- Chalene Johnson.  It sounds intimidating but from what I have read, they DO modify and almost any fitness level can do it. 


I have also heard of people combining it with Chalean Extreme (her weight training workouts).


I am kind of curious about trying it myself.


Have any of you tried Turbo Jam, Turbo Fire, or Chalean Extreme?

Man with low testosterone? Weight loss may help.

Hello everyone!


This post is more for men- research shows that in middle aged pre-diabetic men, losing weight can help them boost their testosterone levels by up to 50 percent.


Usually, doctors would prescribe hormone therapy to help these men, but according to this article, doctors should tell these men to lose weight first and see how that goes.


I have noticed a lot of problems people have can usually be reduced, or even eliminated and cured with lifestyle changes as changing your diet and losing excess weight, as opposed to pumping yourself full of pills.


For the full article, click here.

Japanese "Diet Glasses"

Hello everyone!


I came across an article that says that Japanese scientists have made glasses that help you eat less.

How do they work?  They make food appear larger so that you get tricked into eating less of it by using virtual reality.

As of now, there are no plans to commercialize the glasses but in the future, you never know.

Would you eat with these on? Do you think they'd work?

For full article click here. 

Is HIIT really better for fat loss?

Hello everyone!


Lately, I've been hearing a lot about how doing HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is so much better than steady cardio.


HIIT is basically like walking for one minute, jogging for one minute alternating for 10-60 minutes.

Here is another HIIT workout, as an example.

In an article I found, they compare how much fat loss comes from what intensity of cardio.  Their point is sure, high intensity cardio will cause fat loss, but it is difficult to do often, while steady cardio is easier to do more often. 


The article goes into a lot more detail about the good and bad, and I thought it was an interesting read.




For full article, click here.

Diabetes and Bypass Surgery

Hello everyone.


A while back I read about how getting bypass surgery can help some obese people get rid of their type 2 diabetes.


I found an article today that shows that this may be futile.


While it is effective most of the time, studies have been showing that 1 out of 5 people get the diabetes back later on.


Studies also showed that those who did not have recurring diabetes lost more weight and kept more off on average.  Those who have had diabetes before for more than five years were 3.8 times more likely for it to come back.


So, if you do have diabetes and are considering this kind of surgery, also keep in mind that the result may not be 100%.


For full article, click here. 

Bikini Mistakes

Hello everyone!




Summer is here, and so is bikini season.  I'm not bikini ready this time, but for those who are, I found an article with some tips of what to do.


Examples are to dress for your figure, be confident, don't show too much, and more.


For the full article, click here!

Another low carb dish!

Hello everyone!




Yesterday, I tried a new Korean food that I think a lot of people would still enjoy.


It's called Makgalbijjim, which is braised beef short ribs.


How to make it? Here is a video. It's pretty easy and takes a little over an hour.





It can easily be made gluten free by using Tamari soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce. 


It also appears (based on ingredients) to be very low in carbs too, although it is often eaten with rice. 


Would you try this? Have you had it before?

You can GRILL that?

Hello everyone!


I came across an article about foods you didn't know you could grill.


Well, I was kind of surprised.  I had no idea, for example, that you could grill watermelon, romaine lettuce, or even cake!

Grilled Watermelon!

For more unexpected grillables with directions on how to do it, click here. 

Kids taken from dad because of his weight

Hello everyone.


In Ottawa, Canada, child services have taken away two kids from their father. 


Why?


Because he is overweight. 


The man (name protected) is trying to appeal an action made by the state to take his children.


The kids have been in foster care for the past year because of problems with their mother.  They did not place them with their father either, because he had legal problems as well in the past.


However, he has been working to earn the right to have his children back. However, the courts won't comply and the man believes his obesity is to blame. 


Do you think weight should be a factor in determining parental fitness?


For the full article, click here.

Body Beast

Hello everyone!


A friend of mine sent me a link to a video about a new Beachbody program that is coming out soon.





It's called Body Beast, and it's apparently still in development.  


The description under the video:


"BODY BEAST WORKOUT
Currently still in development, BODY BEAST™ is the first Beachbody® program dedicated to maximum muscle gains and fat loss. Created by champion bodybuilder, Sagi Kalev, it uses a combination of old- and new-school bodybuilding techniques to build muscle without using expensive gym equipment or harmful steroids.

BODY BEAST
BODY BEAST workout is an extreme program, specifically developed to bulk up your body AND your confidence. Check back here for more details and the upcoming BODY BEAST release date. Soon you can start building your body with the BODY BEAST workout, right at home.

PACK ON THE MUSCLE WITH BODY BEAST.
BODY BEAST workout is one of the only all-encompassing body-building, nutrition and supplement systems on the market.
.
Gain 10 pounds of muscle in 90 days."

For more information visit their site: http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/body-beast-workout.do?code=SOCIAL_BE_SN

10 pounds in 10 days?

Hello everyone!




I came across an article- about how you CAN lose 10 pounds in 10 days.  I took a read and... well... it doesn't look practical.


Trainer Jackie Warner wrote a book called 10 pounds in 10 days, and basically you are doing really intense excercise and 950 calories a day.

"The New York Times best-selling author says her five "intensity techniques" are key to burning calories. These exercises jump start your metabolism and help make you look and feel better overall: 

1. Cardio-acceleration: a short but intense cardio burst between strength-training exercises, such as jumping rope or using an elliptical machine. 

2. High-intensity interval training (HIIT): alternating bursts of high-intensity and low-intensity aerobic activity, such as alternating a three-minute jog with a one-minute sprint. 

3. Supersets: sets of two different exercises for the same muscle group back to back, then doing two more exercises for a different muscle group, without any rests between sets. 

4. Full-body circuit: performed twice during each 10-day period. Do ten or more exercises virtually nonstop, such as bicep curls, military presses, deep squats). 

5. Rest-pause to 100 reps: this method involves stopping when you've reached failure in a set, resting for a short period of time, then continuing for as many reps as you can until you reach 100 reps total. 

To complement working out, Jackie's 10 x 10 program includes a balanced and nutrient-rich diet. You can follow either her 10-day diet at 950 calories per day, her 20-day diet at 1,200 calories, or her 30-day diet at 1,500 calories. Jackie also created her own line of wellness and nutritional products to help maximize the body's ability to keep the pounds off. "

For info on this book, visit www.jackiewarner.com

For the article, click here.

Pretty burgers

Hello everyone!

Pretty much anyone who has ordered a burger from a fast food restaurant knows that what you get looks like a sad, degraded version of how they look in the ad.


How do they get the burgers to look so pretty?


Food Styling.


The director from McDonald's Canada explains and shows the whole process (which takes several hours) in this video.





And there you have it. You can also have a pretty burger, you just have a much longer wait.

Tracy's Leggings on Sale!

Hello everyone!

Remember how I posted about Tracy making leggings?  I received the following email letting me know that they are now on sale for TAM fans!

I am absolutely thrilled to have taken my first dip into the fashion pond with my legging collection for Edition 01. People have always asked me where I get my leggings, and I never know how to answer, mainly because I am always altering my leggings and mixing fabrics from different leggings to create the styles I wear. After buying almost every brand of legging on the market, I found that the perfect workout legging for me and my body just didn't exist yet. As I have watched so many amazing women embark on their transformation with my method, I have learned that they also want to look rockstar all the way through the journey! I devote a lot of my time to the marriage of science and creativity, in order to be able to continuously give women the tools they need to fight aging, problem areas, and take care of their health. I have stacks of black leggings that I have cut and tailored, as well as stacks of leggings with pops of color and funk. I love getting suited up to work out and use my body, and I think its so important to like what you are wearing while you are working out - it's that extra motivator.

My amazingly talented friend, Jessica Wilpon Kamel, collaborated with fashion consultant Estefania Lacayo to create a fashion site that has traveled into uncharted territory. Edition 01 is a fashion platform that allows industry icons to create limited runs of their designs but also allows experts like myself to step into a designer position. I chose to start this collection with the perfect black legging that delivers in the way that so many women have wanted for years. I wanted to design this collection after my Metamorphosis series and deliver four different leggings designed specifically for each body type of Metamorphosis - Omnicentric, Glutecentric, Hipcentric, and Abcentric. Just like with your workout, I love the idea of being able to identify which clothing to wear based on which area you would like to improve upon.

I naively thought that through my experience of designing thousands of butts and thighs, designing leggings for those butts and thighs would be an easy task. I realized quickly that I was in for a rude awakening and definitely have a new appreciation for all designers in the fashion industry. I wasn't willing to compromise on fabrics, and I still wasn't satisfied with the fits after seeing many samples. I drove people mad with the seams and cuts, and with the patient help of an extremely talented tailor, I was finally able to manifest my vision of piecing together different fabrics and seams to create a legging collection that I feel is both sleek and sexy, whether at the gym or on a night out. I quickly learned that quality has a price, and that the rich fabrics and intricate seams are not something that can be easily produced. One of the things that I love about what I do is that I guide so many women to be their most proportioned, unique selves. I find it so unfortunate and off-putting that the fashion industry doesn't always reflect all of the different heights, sizes, and shapes of beauty. Especially because I know that the women who will be wearing these leggings are going to be of all shapes and sizes, so I wanted to represent that with the collection.

I launched this collection on Edition 01 on June 8, 2012 with four women modeling the leggings that I truly admire. These are women with different body types, heights, and shapes who have either just started their journey with my method or have been on doing it for years. The one thing common thread is that these women have a beauty that is infectious. They are all talented, smart, empowered, and they are changing peoples lives through entertainment, motherhood, business, and being their healthiest selves. I am so honored they agreed to represent and model my collection. Most importantly, I am SO excited for all of you to try them! Edition 01 has agreed to give all of the TAM fans a discount. If you click through to their site and put in this code you can receive a 25% off promotional discount: TAM25OFF

Just when you thought you've seen it all

Hello everyone!

As a lot of Americans know, people have come up with some crazy treats- most of them deep fried.

The newest snack from the fryer:

Fried cereal. As in breakfast cereal.  This picture is deep fried Trix.

This came out at the San Diego fair, to mixed reviews. They also make this with Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal.  

One reviewer's response:

 

"Now, when I was trying the deep-fried Cinnamon Toast Crunch, the pool of grease in the bottom of the basket made me clutch my heart a little. The doughy ball of greasy cereal wasn't bad, but it definitely isn't something I'd go out of my way to buy. Candace called the Trix edition 'disappointing,'" 

If you saw this at a carnival near you, would YOU try it?  Read more here!

Tracy's shakes now on Opensky

Hello everyone!

It seems Tracy has been putting a lot on sale lately.  As some of you may know, she is now on OpenSky which is a shopping website.

Today I got an email letting me know that her shakes (that I have tried- they are not bad) are now for sale there. 

Check it out here: It's a little cheaper than buying it on her site. Shipping I am not sure of from OpenSky.

Now that it's slightly cheaper, will you try it?

Another "misdirection" of blame

Hello everyone!

Recently, I posted about an article about the head chef of McDonalds saying that McD's isn't the blame for obesity.

Now it's Coca Cola's turn.

Just so happens that this is coming out right when New York City Mayor Bloomberg is presenting a ban on big soft drinks. 


Words from their CEO:


"It is, I believe, incorrect and unjust to put the blame on any single ingredient, any single product, any single category of food."


Yeah he's right, but again, like the McD's, he isn't exactly pushing a HEALTHY product either. 

To read more, check out the article here~! http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jdy3Mof9TDFxItdm0d1Hqag-ELFQ?docId=CNG.2efdca30051cc10eed64002578e2e691.a31

Meta and more on sale- Limited time only~!

Hello everyone!


I was very pleased to see in my daily Gilt.com email that some Tracy goodies are going to be on sale! 


She has meta, continuity, and even some equipment on sale.  


I'm only sad about one thing- the sale ends before I get paid.  I want the water bottle/ball/weights set. Boo.

To get in on the savings: Click here http://www.gilt.com/sale/women/yoga-fitness

Gym Shoes.,, And racism?

Hello everyone!

Many people are always on the lookout for their next pair of gym shoes. 

Adidas is now a subject of controversy for it's new shoes...

These are the new Roundhouse Mid "Handcuff" shoes, which have bright orange shackles around the ankles.

Ok, so they make a statement, but that statement is in the eye of the beholder apparently.

Adidas means: "Tighten up your style with the JS Roundhouse Mids, dropping in August. Got a sneaker game so hot you lock your kicks to your ankles?"

People see: References to slavery. 

My opinion: I think they look neat, I wouldn't wear them because they're a bit loud for my liking and I would not pay $350 for them.  Do I think they're racist? No.

What do you think? Racist slavewear or just "different"?


Read more here: http://shine.yahoo.com/fashion/adidas-shackle-sneakers-create-controversy-185000146.html

80s Workouts

Hello everyone!

So, if you are undecided about your workout routine, or want a change of pace, there are still some workouts from the 1980's that are still very great for your body.

I found an article explaining which ones, and what they do for you. They discuss Jane Fonda, The Firm, and others!

http://www.fitsugar.com/Retro-Fitness-80s-Workouts-Make-Comeback-From-Jane-Fonda-Buns-Steel-10525224

For now I am going to stick to TAM but I have friends who also stick with the oldies- Buns of Steel, etc.

What are your favorite workouts, from the past or even now?


 

I know it SHOULDN'T discourage me...

Hello everyone-

Artist's rendition: Shitty workout reaction

Today was Day 1 Level 1 of Abcentric meta and I am feeling really shitty about it.


I have come to the realization, that when I was posting that I did 20+ reps, those were 20+ CRAPPY bad form reps.


Today, I tried much harder to get the leg moves correct.


10 reps. 


That's it. Just 10. Feeling the megaburn at 5.   I feel like I've regressed, even though all I did was be more detailed in the movements. 


My ass is in pain. Not screaming (because I want to be able to do it again tomorrow~!) but sore enough. 


I also did the cardio for 30 minutes, step touching, and it was harder because my legs feel swollen (they have all day- not enough sleep and perhaps not enough to drink either)


I don't know if the hot weather/I was at work all day had anything to do with this... 


I had to re-read the section in the book where Tracy says If you cannot do 20 reps on the first day, that's okay. You'll get better, keep going (verbatim).


Also I fucked up on my food (dinner)


Here's what I had:


Breakfast: Tracy shake with blueberries.


Lunch: Salad with ham, pepperoni, salami, and hot peppers. A little oil/vinegar as dressing, Dark Chocolate Think thin Bar, Starbucks Shaken Passion Tea (no sweeteners).


Dinner: 3 dill pickles and 1 microwave TV dinner (Cheesy Beef Macaroni- 240 calories, 30 g carbs)




Ok, so it was health food compared to what I usually eat but I still feel guilty. It was blazing hot and I really REALLY didn't want to get my stove involved today whatsoever.


Well, let's check today off the calendar and move on, right?

Another little webisode

Hello everyone!


While browsing YouTube I found a video in my recommended videos- Tracy Anderson Workout for Venus.  I guess this was put up a while back.  It's a good little sample of what TAM is about for newbies.  Covers arms, legs, cardio, and abs.





Enjoy! I will post my Meta details later. 


Have a great day!