We were priveledged to have guest speaker, registered dietitian, Luke Corey, from Complete health and Nutrition join us at Bootcamp on Saturday, January 26, 2013.   He did a great presentation on how we view the weight loss industry and all the suppliments it has to offer and what we need to do to get where we want/need to be.  First, erase all those quick fix commercials and diet pills we see on TV and in magazines daily, out of your mind.  Start fresh and stick to the basics.  Here are some great basic tips for healthy weight loss.

My favorite thing that I took from this talk was one simple saying "Just Don't Get Worse!"  If you think about it, if you aim to just not get worse then you already are, the only option left is to get better right? 

If you would like more information or would like to learn more about proper diet and nutrition from a registered dietitian, please contact Luke Corey at Complete Health and Nutrition. 

If  you are feeling a little down today, try a little exercise!  
 
Exercising helps to release endorphins and lower your cortisol levels.  What are  endorphins?  Endorphins are your body's natural feel good chemicals that are
released through exercise which can raise your mood and help to relieve pain.   
 
Cortisol is produced by your adrenal gland in response to stress.  It  gives you that quick boost of energy when you are in a fight or flight  situation.  The problem is, now a days, we never fully relax, allowing our  levels of cortisol to return to normal, which relults in our body being in a  constant state of stress or otherwise known as chronic stress.  
 
What does all this mean?  When you engage in  physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day, you will release endorphins and  lower cortisol levels in your body causing you to feel happy, less stressed,  more relaxed, and in most cases, reduce pain.  Now that's a win win if you ask  me!

Now get out there and exercise!

The holiday's are fast aproaching and the same question is on everyone's mind...."How am I going to make it through the Holiday's without sabotaging all the work I did this year?" 

Well, there is no for sure answer, but there are LOTS of tips and tricks to help you curb your cravings while still enjoying the holiday cheer.  And No, I don't mean locking yourself in the closet!

Here are a few that I like to use...

1)  If you are attending a Christams party where you know there will be lots of "holiday snacks"...you know the kind, sugar cookies, shortbread cookies, chocolates, cakes, candies, *slurp*, then try having a lite healthy snack of fruits and veggies before leaving.  Also make sure that you are well hydrated, some people tend to eat when it turns out, they are only thirsty.

2)  Pass on the eggnog and alcoholic beverages.  Ask for ice water instead.  1 cup of eggnog has as much as 224 calories and 10 grams of fat!  Alcoholic beverages tend to make you feel hungry even if you have just eaten.  Avoid alcoholic beverages and save on hundreds of unwanted calories and that dreaded hangover.

3)  If you are attenduing a pot luck or buffet style dinner, grab a salad plate to eat from.  The larger your plate, the more calories you will add without realizing it.  Also, bring something that you and the others can enjoy that is healthy.  I found this on the internet the other day and thought it was a brilliant idea. 

If you have any other tips to help avoid overeating this holiday season, please add them to the comments below! Here is a fruit tree for you to take to your next party or get together more festive and delicious!

Do you know that 1 slice of pumpkin pie has over 320 calories and 17 grams of fat!!

Pumpkin is a superfood, so why is pumpkin pie so bad for you?    The answer.....THE CRUST!!  If you are looking for a healthy alternative to your fall pumpkin pie, try a pumpkin pie smoothie.  It taste delicious, it's healthy for you, and if drinken post-workout, it delivers all the nutrients needed for a great recovery!  Want to know how to make it....here it is.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pie filling)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 frozen banana
3 ice cubes
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp cinnimon
1 tsp agave nectar.

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth and Enjoy!

316 calories
2.6g fat
6.1g fiber
27.1 g protein
100% delicious!

Well, summer is finally here!   Today I got up early, the sun was shining so I decided to go out on an early morning 5km run.  It feels so good to be out in the crisp morning air.

When I came home, I decided to try a recipie for some blueberry, lemon chiffon, protein pancakes.  Oh, my YUM!!  They were sooo good, I have to share the recipie. 

BLUEBERRY, LEMON CHIFFON, PROTEIN PANCAKES!
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
2 tbsp Epicure's Lemon Chiffon Fruit Dip mix
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 whole egg
1/4 cup of 1% milk
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
A pinch of salt


This recipie makes 6 pancakes and each pancake is only 70
calories each with 6 grams of protein!  I paired 3 pancakes with some fresh
melons and will save the rest in the fridge, that way I can just pop them in the
toaster when I need them.

(syrop and/or agave necter will increase calorie count)

I hope you enjoy these as much as I did.  Let me know how they taste!

Eating these foods will help your body feel younger on the inside and look younger on the outside.


So remember to incorperate these foods into every meal!

What is your favorite anti-aging food?



(click picture to enlarge)

When you feel like you are not good enough.  When you want to quit because it's too hard, too long, too far, too heavy.  When you want to curl up in bed and make the day go away.   When you feel like you are not worth it.  When you look at yourself in the mirror and think 'this is not me'.  Just remember, YOU can do this!  Lift your head up high, close your eyes, breath in real deep, stretch your arms up to the sky, push your toes deep into the ground, now exhale as you lower your arms to your sides, bring your head back down, lift up your toes, look at yourself in the mirror again and say "YES, I CAN BE THE BEST ME I CAN BE!"  Now take yourself out,  stand up tall, pull your shoulders back and down, head up high, look straight ahead and take a deep breath in.  Now put one foot in front of the other and conquer the world one step at a time, and always remember....JUST KEEP GOING!

I found this while looking for the best way to cook vegitables.  I thought it was very simple and easy to follow and teaches you the 101 on cooking vegitables. 

I have had a lot of questions regarding 'negative calorie foods'.  Are they real?  What is a negative calorie food?  Can I lose weight eating them?  Well, first let's find out what a calorie really is.  A calorie by definition, is the energy it takes to raise 1 gram of water, 1 degree Celsius.  That's right calories are energy that is used by our body to function.   

Every body requires a different amount of daily caloric intake to function
properly.  Your heart, lungs, kidney, brain and other internal organs require 1000-1400 calories a day to function while laying down.  This is called you RMR-Resting Metabolic Rate.  Your DCI -  Daily Caloric Intake is what determines how many calories you require to do your other daily tasks.  This will vary from person to person depending on your level of activities. 

Now we all know that if we eat more calories than our DCI requires, our wonderful bodies will store that extra energy as fat.  Well, we can thank Mother Nature for a few foods that actually burn more calories preparing, chewing and digesting them, than what is actually in them.  I found a list of great negative calorie foods.  With that said, you cannot survive on just eating these foods alone, so just try to add a  few to each meal.  See if you notice a difference.