6 Guilt-Free Choices for Thanksgiving

By Joe Wilkes

It's that time of year when it's not just the turkey that's getting stuffed. The Thanksgiving table is full of irresistible treats and sweets, but before you commit yourself to an afternoon of gluttony, followed by the traditional unbuttoning of the pants in front of the TV, you might consider that there are a lot of options that are actually good for you. And, if you're the one planning the menu, you can include even more choices so that you can enjoy Thanksgiving without turning into a Macy's parade float.

1. Turkey. You can't beat lean turkey breast. With only 44 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 8 grams of protein per ounce, this is one of the healthiest things you can load up on. Even the dark meat only adds an extra gram of fat and 9 more calories per ounce. But skip the skin, which adds extra calories and fat, and go light on the gravy. Try the salad-dressing technique—dip the tines of your fork in the gravy before you spear your meat to get more flavor with less fat. Also, if you're cooking, baste the bird with broth, not butter, to keep the fat and calories low.
2. Cranberries. These tart little berries are bursting with nutrition, including high levels of vitamin C and several polyphenol antioxidants. (Read "6 Ways to Boost Your Antioxidant Levels" in the Related Articles section below for more about getting antioxidants in your diet.) Cranberries are also good at inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria in the bladder and urethra. It's also believed that cranberries contain a chemical that helps stop tooth decay, but this could be moot if the cranberries are prepared with sugar. Instead of going overboard with the sugar, try cooking cranberries in orange juice, or a little port wine, to bring out their flavor without oversweetening them.
3. Yams. These tasty tubers (not to be confused with sweet potatoes) are great sources of vitamin B6, which can reduce the risk of heart disease, and potassium, which can help regulate blood pressure. And because yams contain complex carbohydrates and fiber, they won't spike your blood sugar. (Read "Miracle Foods to Tame That Sugar Spike" in the Related Articles section below for more tips on controlling your blood sugar.) Candying the yams, a popular Thanksgiving tradition, will largely negate any blood sugar benefits, however. Try having them with a little cinnamon instead. They are generally sweet enough on their own, but if your guests insist on candying them, maybe serve them with a little maple syrup on the side, so at least the sugar rush is optional.
4. Sweet potatoes. Like their relative, the yam, sweet potatoes have lots of nutrients that regular potatoes don't have, including beta-carotene and vitamin C. The high levels of carotenoids in sweet potatoes also help regulate blood sugar, which will help you avoid the post-Thanksgiving "coma" that afflicts so many overindulgers on the holiday. Although, once again, you can easily counteract the nutritional benefits by melting marshmallows on top of the sweet spuds. But, at least marshmallows can be easily scraped off as opposed to the poor candied yam, which would have to be scrubbed down to get it back to its natural nutritious state.
5. Salad. Load up on salad! And by salad, we mean lettuce and vegetables, not a cream-based Waldorf salad or mayonnaise-laden potato or macaroni salad. This is a good contribution you can make if you're a guest at someone else's Thanksgiving dinner. Offer to bring a salad, with dressing on the side, and you'll at least be guaranteed that there will be one healthy dish on the table. (Read "10 Simple Ways to Spruce Up Your Salad" in the Related Articles section below for some salad ideas.)
6. Pumpkin pie. When you're looking at the dessert selection, keep in mind that a slice of pumpkin pie has as much beta-carotene as an entire carrot. Take that, apple pie! It's also high in vitamin C. Unfortunately, it can oftentimes also be high in fat and sugar. But if you're making the pie, you can substitute skim milk for cream or sweetened, condensed milk. Some chefs even add silken tofu to thicken the pie filling, and provide the extra health benefits of soy.

If you're lucky or unlucky enough to be hosting the main event, you can try some other things to "health up" the meal. Think about offering a salad course and/or a (non-cream-based) soup course. This can prolong the meal and conversation (which can be good or bad, depending on your family) and allow you to fill up on healthy stuff before the main-course shoveling begins. Also, try scheduling the meal so it isn't eaten in front of the football game. Then, you can pay attention to your guests and what you're putting in your mouth. If you're at the mercy of some other Thanksgiving host, hope for a cornucopia of vegetables that you can choose from or offer to bring something healthy and delicious yourself. By making healthy choices, you'll have something to be thankful for instead of a couple of extra pounds.

4 Diet Pitfalls-and How to Avoid Them

An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on
Thanksgiving Day.
—Irv Kupcinet

4 Diet Pitfalls—and How to Avoid Them

By Shaun T, creator of Get Real with Shaun T™

Oh sure, everyone always says to me, "Shaun, I swear, I eat very healthily. I have a clean diet." But when people are experiencing "stubborn pounds" that won't budge off their bodies, I see uncertainty and fear in their eyes when I say, "I bet it's a common eating habit that is undermining your hard work."

Oh yeah. It's natural for us to be less than honest with ourselves about where we're cheating on our nutritional plans. We work out and have the best of intentions for our daily meals, but we end up falling short of our goals for having a balanced nutritional plan for various reasons. Some of the most common pitfalls can be avoided simply by being aware of them.

1. Stress eating. Hey, I readily admit that food is comforting—especially comfort food. You know, the mac and cheese; the meatloaf and buttery mashed potatoes; an entire pint of butter pecan ice cream . . . enough said. But there are so many better ways to beat stress than by eating yourself into a stupor.
   
   Do this instead: My favorite thing to do is to get out and just take a walk. Focus on your body and forget the snacks, and get some air deep into your lungs, clear your head, feel your blood pumping, and stretch your legs out. It won't take but a few minutes for you to reap big benefits from taking a brisk walk . . . away from the vending machine. Or if it's raining, put on some great music and dance—that works too! You can get plenty of this done with Hip Hop Abs® or my Dance Party Series.
2. Grazing. Many people have a complete lack of structure to their daily meals—they actually never stop nibbling throughout the day—from bits of bagels and bites of donuts in the morning all the way through to chips in front of the TV for late-night channel surfing. Grazers have absolutely no set meal times, and end up shutting down their bodies' natural calorie-burning cycles through the constant onslaught of fat and calories.
   
   Do this instead: Of course, avoid the bad stuff. Instead of vending-machine junk and food with a low nutritional value, pack healthy snacks for nibbling. And make time for balanced meals that will satisfy your appetite so you won't be reaching for whatever's near. See the action plan for #3.
3. Unconscious eating. Eating without paying attention to what you're doing, or without even realizing that you're consuming calories.
   
   Do this instead: Keeping a food journal is the best way I know to determine whether you have unconscious-eating tendencies. One of my clients confessed that while keeping her journal, she would catch herself working at her desk and suddenly realize that she needed to jot down the cookie she'd just eaten at a coworker's desk. They'd offered her a homemade cookie, and she'd eaten it without even thinking about it—much less factoring it into her daily planned food intake. Cha-CHING! Those 200 sweet calories needed to be added to her daily tally in her food journal to get an accurate picture of what she was eating.
4. Double portions. It's not just restaurants that are offering us bigger portions to show us the value of their meals; it's loved ones and friends and ourselves who proudly serve up much more than our bodies need for fuel at mealtime—on a regular basis. It's because we think we're showing love, or are being shown love, through food. We'd also feel stingy if we were to serve the plate with less on it. The sad fact is that "normal" portions in the U.S. aren't just a fraction more food than needed for having a balanced meal—they're like double, which is in excess of what your body requires, and WAY more than you can burn through your daily workout!
   
   Do this instead: Ask yourself, "Do 20 bites of a huge sandwich really taste that much better than 10?" How do those 10 extra bites taste when you know you can't burn them off that day and at least half that sandwich is going to turn into those "stubborn" pounds? Stick with sane portions; listen to your body.

Yes, these are four common pitfalls. They're all too common—but that doesn't make them any less devastating to our fitness results and our ultimate health goals (and don't forget that it can also be discouraging to the mental image you have of where you want to be). Be aware of where you might be defeating yourself, and take some time to form a personal plan to help you avoid these pitfalls on a daily basis.

Peace Out.
Shaun T

ChaLEAN Extreme! PREORDER NOW!

EMAIL ME AT MORGAN0661@GMAIL.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS BRAND NEW WORKOUT PROGRAM!

Avoid doing too much too soon

Many times people get excited about starting a new exercise program and their excitement causes them to try and workout every day sometimes an hour or more per day. Unsurprisingly, what often happens to people who overdo it is that they burn out in the first week or two and end up dropping out of the program.

It is important that people who are just starting a fitness program to understand that it took a period of time for them to get out of shape and it’s going to take time before they get themselves back into shape. It is more important that they develop for themselves a weekly training schedule that consists of a recommended four days of training for 30 to 45 minutes per day in a week and stick to it. Furthermore, they should try and do something (i.e. 10 – 15 minutes) on each of their scheduled days even if they don’t have the time or energy to do the entire 30 – 45 minutes workout. By doing the bare minimum, they train themselves to stay on schedule and often time they will find themselves doing the entire scheduled amount of minutes once they get started.

You see by the yard it’s hard, but inch by inch anything is a cinch. Those who consistently train using a good fitness program invariably see positive results in six to eight weeks. I recommend that anyone whose primary goal is to lose weight to put more emphasis on doing cardio (e.g. jogging, swimming, jumping rope, etc.) and less emphasis on resistance training. For example, one might consider doing three days of cardio and one day of resistance training. However, there are programs available that allow you to get both cardio and muscle toning fitness at the same time by using light weights, high repetition and quick transition between exercises. Nonetheless, even with these type of programs, if you have a lot of weight to lose, you still might want to put emphasis on doing the cardio exercises. Needless to say, minimizing your caloric and carbohydrate intake will also be very important.

The Future of Online Fitness

With respect to servicing the average client seeking fitness, is personal training really a service that can be effectively offered via the internet? Asked another way, what attribute(s) does in person personal training offer that online personal training cannot. The answer is real time face-to-face interaction. Now that we understand the one real limitation of online training, the next question is if this one attribute really worth the premium session prices that in person personal fitness trainers demand, especially when you factor in the fact that an online trainer can address inquiries via email, forums or telephone if need be within 24 hours. The answer to this question is it depends largely on whether or not a client can afford to pay the premium prices. Chances are that as a result of inflation, many will seek out an effective and viable alternative.

Therefore, it is very likely that there will be a demand and thus a market for online fitness trainers and programs. It’s just a matter as to whether or not a company or trainer can design and deliver a program that delivers results. Needless to say, the program must provide: 1) Good instructions and exercises that can be safely performed, 2) A means to contact and interact with the fitness trainer, 3) Delivery of up-to-date information on new fitness data and trends, 4) Coaching and support and 5) Nutritional information and consultation.

Believe it or not, a community of clients pursuing the same goals can be created via a membership site and an online fitness program comprised of all of the foregoing attributes can be provided to those seeking to get in shape by doing safe and effective exercises at a price that is 75 - 90% cheaper than what one would pay for an in person personal trainer.

Beachbody offers this and so much more. For more information please feel free to email me at morgan0661@gmail.com or you can take a look at my website also.

10 Tips for Healthy Eating

10 tips for Healthy Eating!

Now is a great time to focus your attention on the importance of making smart food choices by practicing healthy eating habits. Not only will you reach your weight goals, you will also have a healthier digestive system, increased energy levels, better moods, clearer and younger looking skin, increased metabolism, increased ability to fight off colds and the flu, decreased risk of many health related disease and feel amazing!

Here are 10 tips to guide you in healthy eating! The quicker you implement these guidelines, the quicker you will see amazing results!!! Post them on your fridge to remind you of some good choices to attain and maintain an ideal healthy weight!

1. Eat breakfast everyday!!! This is hands down the most important tip I can share with you! By eating a healthy and balanced breakfast you will give yourself the fuel you need to start your day off right with energy, mental focus and the elimination of starvation mode. What is starvation mode you ask? It kicks in when you have a long period of time that goes by and you don’t get any caloric energy in the form of food. Your body is smart and was designed to survive (not to be beautiful…lol), so it sends a signal to store extra fat in case there is another long period of time that goes by without eating so you have fuel reserves for energy in the form of fat. From the time you go to bed until the time you wake up is generally the longest period of time with no food intake. Breakfast simply means to BREAK the FAST!

2. It’s ALIVE!!! Make sure you focus on eating foods that are alive. Foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables have enzyme activity and are nutritionally rich which adds life to your body! Foods that are biologically dead, such as processed snacks with high sugar content, do not provide any nutritional benefits other than extra calories and actually steal valuable chromium and B-Complex vitamins to metabolize them. I advise you to shop at local food markets that purchase locally grown products which contain more nutrients and fewer pesticides than produce which is purchased from foreign countries. Plus, it contributes to a greener environment by saving on transportation fuels and supports you community!

3. Consume high-fibre foods daily: In order to maintain digestive wellness, it is essential to eat foods that have a source of fibre. This includes whole grains (oats, spelt, barley, rye, buckwheat, millet, whole wheat, brown rice), legumes (beans, lentils, split peas) fruits and vegetables. Fibre rich whole grains work to increase your metabolism, because they take longer to digest and absorb, plus they contribute to a feeling of fullness. Personally, I throw a couple of teaspoons of Psyllium Seed Husk into my protein shakes for added fibre and digestion.

4. Diet starts with DIE! Generally speaking dieting is deprivation. Many people view diets as there last chance to lose weight or a quick fix and instant solution. This is the trap that sooooooo many fad diet programs prey on emotional potential weight loss clients with. Be AWARE! Do your research on long term effects. They destroy your metabolism! Focus instead on a healthy personalized nutrition plan which guides you in losing no more than 2-3 lbs per week. This will increase your metabolism and keep the weight off providing you stick to the plan and learn how to eat properly. Eventually in will become second nature and habitual. Slow and steady wins the race!!!

5. Make H2O your best friend: Water is the most important ingredient in healthy eating and any serious weight loss plan! It is vitally important to good health and wellness because it makes up about 80% of your blood and brain. By consuming a minimum of 2 litres per day, you will stay hydrated, think better, speed up the process of losing weight, detoxify, clear up your skin, look younger and curb food cravings which lead to overeating. I suggest for you to take a sip or 2 of water every 20-30 minutes, instead of chugging a large amount and this will prevent you from constantly visiting the can!

6. Don’t fear the fat: It is vitally important to eat an adequate supply of healthy dietary good fats! Throughout all of the cell membranes in your entire body, fat is one of the main components. If you eat a sufficient amount of healthy natural fats, your cellular processes will function normally. If you do not, your cellular process will be severely impaired and your body will need to work harder to operate correctly or form degenerative diseases. This is also especially true if you are consuming large amounts of heavily processed, man-made, chemically altered fats which are found in most processed foods. BONUS: Healthy dietary fats are excellent for optimal hormonal production, muscle building and fat burning processes!!!

7. Are vitamins and supplements necessary? To be honest with you, most of these products are a complete waste of money, do not contribute to optimal health and just contribute to expensive urine. Having a healthy and balanced nutrition plan consisting of a large variety of unprocessed foods (fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, grains, nuts, seeds) will provide you all of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants we need for perfect health. Of course if you don’t have the discipline to eat well, then maybe they are better than nothing.

8. Eat after you train: The other most important meal of the day is right after any resistance or cardiovascular activity or work outs! This is when your body is in a catabolic state where your muscle glycogen is depleted and elevated cortisol levels are beginning to break down muscle tissues. The solution is choosing a meal with quickly digestible carbs to replenish muscle glycogen and quickly digestible protein to provide amino acids for muscle repair.

9. Eat 3 meals and 2-3 snacks: By spacing your meals by about 3-4 hours apart you will provide your body with the nutrients and caloric energy it needs to thrive every day! This will also contribute to the decrease in the starvation mode signal to store fat which was aforementioned earlier. A suggestion is to have the meals balanced with 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% good fats in order to maintain a healthy body weight.

10. Fast-Food for thought: Many clients ask me what they should do when they are going out for fast or convenience food. Obviously, I would suggest not to do it at all, focus on making your own healthy meals and bring them with you if you can, however I must admit I enjoy the occasional burger too. In the case you are forced into one of these fast-food establishments, I would strongly suggest to stay away from soda, fries, hash browns, breaded fish or chicken sandwiches, nuggets or anything absolutely soaked in DEADLY trans fats from industrial hydrogenated vegetable oil!

I challenge you all to make a commitment to attaining a healthy weight and stick to it! Personally, I didn’t get incredible results until I focused on my nutrition plan. This is when I finally began to see some serious definition and a killer six pack! You can do it too! With drive, passion, persistence and believing in oneself you can become successful at anything in life!

Yours in Opportunity, Abundance and Joy!!!

James Erdt
Joyzone Inc.
Founder / President

Government Guidelines for Exercise: how much is enough?

How much physical activity do you need in a year, month, or day? Many might wonder this very question. Well, the government has laid out some guidelines that you can follow to make sure you are getting enough exercise.

For most adults on average, they need two and a half hours of exercise a week. But, this depends heavily on your age and the right level of fitness. For those sluggish types, the best way to stay fit is to do active things around the house. Go out and rake some leaves; mow the lawn; or take the dog for a brisk walk. More active adults should have their week’s requirement of 75 minutes of more vigorous exercise. This could include: jogging, hiking, biking, or swimming. About 2 times a week on average, adults should do muscle-strengthening activities: push-ups, weight training, or heavy gardening. This is a minimum requirement for physical activity.

Children and teens are known to need more exercise than the average adult. They are suggested to engage in physical activity for a minimum of an hour each day. This could include any sport including: skateboarding, soccer, running, biking, or swimming. Three times a week, children and teens should also engage in muscle-strengthening activities such as sit-ups or tug-of-war, and bone-strengthening activities such as jumping rope or skipping.

These suggestions are much like the food pyramid, but for exercise. The guidelines come from the Health and Human Services Department. Their idea of these guidelines is to stop people from questioning how much exercise is enough. They therefore make it clear about how much exercise you really do need, and the different ways you can achieve just that.

However, the best thing to do is not question it, but be active. Get out and exercise whatever way you can. It’s alright to start slowly if you are not someone who regularly engages in daily exercise. Some is better than nothing, and more is better than some.

The guidelines have been published to make people aware of the physical needs of their bodies. It’s to show a nation of couch potatoes that being active is the most important tool to leading a healthy lifestyle. Research has concluded that a quarter of adults are not active in their leisure time, and they need to be aware that it is effecting their health.

What is worse is that these quarter of Americans are also raising children with the same inactive habits. Therefore the generation being raised right now could end up less healthy than their parents. Studies show that 1/3 of children in America are overweight, and 16 percent of those are obese.

Data has shown that regular exercise can cut the risk of heart attack and stroke by 20 percent. It can also reduce high blood pressure, chances of early death, and help those with type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancer, fractures, and some variations of depression.

So America, why are you still sitting on the couch?

Sleep Support Supplement Importance of sleep in maintaining a better health.

leep is a basic human need. It is not optional. It’s as necessary as food and water for survival. Of course, everyone has experienced an occasional night when they have trouble falling asleep. It may be annoying, but it isn’t really harmful. But usually, these episodes are brief and your sleep pattern returns to normal very quickly. However, if you experience sleep deprivation for longer periods, this is called insomnia, and if it is allowed to go unchecked, it may become a pattern that is hard to break.

How much sleep does a person really need? Babies sleep about 16 hours a day. Teenagers need about 9 hours on average. For most adults, 7 to 8 hours a night appears to be the best amount of sleep, although there are some people that can function perfectly on as few as 5 hours. However, there are people who require up to 10 hours of sleep each day. The answer is...there is no fixed answer.

So how do you know if you have a sleeping problem? If you answer “yes” to more than two of these questions, you may have a sleeping disorder.

• Do you have difficulty falling asleep?
• Do you wake up and then can’t get back to sleep?
• Do you feel sleepy during the day?
• Do you wake up feeling tired?
• Do you experience an energy-drop in the afternoon?
• Do you ever feel you’re going to fall asleep while driving?

The leading causes for sleeplessness are concerns about work, school, health or family. They can keep your mind too active, making you unable to relax. Prescription drugs and many over-the-counter medications can interfere with sleep. Even eating too much at bedtime can cause an uncomfortable feeling that will keep you awake. Sleeplessness is a common complaint of women as they enter into menopause. There are physical and psychological factors that can interfere with normal sleep patterns. Sleeplessness may be a side-effect of adjusting to new work-shift hours. Also, falling asleep becomes more difficult as we age; and women are twice as likely to have insomnia then men. Jet lag is another factor that may disturb a person’s biorhythms and cause sleeplessness. And believe it or not, by trying too hard to fall asleep, you’re actually keeping yourself awake.

Nearly ten years ago, in May 1997, CNN reported that sleep problems were becoming an epidemic—the #1 health-related problem in the U.S. Many health researchers have linked sleeplessness with such health consequences as fatigue, depression, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, and a shortened life-span.

A survey done by the National Sleep Foundation discovered that:
• Almost 74% of all Americans do not get enough sleep each night.
• 51% of adults say they have problems sleeping at least a few nights each week.
• Almost 1/3 have trouble sleeping every night.
• Those with sleep problems are twice as likely to feel stressed and tired.
• Sleep deprivation costs $150 billion each year in higher stress and reduced worker productivity (National Commission on Sleep Disorders, 2003).

The Mayo Clinic states that almost all adults don't get enough sleep and most struggle to get up in the morning.

Things you can do to improve sleep quality.
1. Try to incorporate nutrition into your diet that promotes healthy sleep cycles. A good healthy diet eaten at regular times can contribute to the quality of your sleep.
2. Avoid exercise within three hours of going to bed, as this will boost alertness and have a negative effect on sleep. The National Sleep Foundation reports that exercise in the afternoon, approximately 4-6 hours before bed time, can help reduce the time it takes for you to fall asleep and give you a deeper sleep.
3. Avoid napping during the daytime.
4. Depending on your sensitivity, reduce stimulants (tea, coffee, chocolate, cigarettes) at least three hours before you sleep. Stimulants contain caffeine which prevents quality deep sleep. Caffeine increases the activity of the central nervous system.
5. Reduce sedatives (alcohol and some medications) which can impair one's ability to have quality deep sleep. You should seek advice from your doctor before stopping 'prescribed' medications.
6. Reduce factors which might arouse you from sleep: external noise, use ear plugs if necessary; an uncomfortable bed or extreme temperatures.
7. Hide your bedroom clock. Get plenty of morning sunlight. This will help regulate your sleep-wake cycle.
8. Eat a light snack (mainly carbohydrates with little protein) before bedtime. This will help your body produce serotonin, the calming hormone.
9. Avoid dwelling on the day's events. Get into a sleep routine such as reading before bed or if you prefer, watching TV or listening to soothing music. Do whatever you find most relaxing.
10. Get out of bed at a regular fixed time each day.
11. Switch to hypo allergy sheets and pillows

Sleep Supplements:

Sleep is essential to keep you physically and mentally healthy. Sleep support supplements containing an all-natural blend of nutrients are non-addictive and may nutritionally assist your body in resetting its biological clock so you can reestablish a healthy and appropriate sleep rhythm. Some of these nutrients are:

• Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland (in the brain) that controls the body’s circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythm is the body’s internal clock that tells us when to sleep and when to wake up.
• Valeriana Officinalis, Matricaria chamomilla, and papaver rhoeas are all herbs which have traditionally been used for sleep disorders and anxiety.
• 5HTP, a compound produced by the body from tryptophan, regulates serotonin and melatonin.
• Vitamin B6 is important for the brain and nerves to function normally. A deficiency is believed to cause irritability, nervousness, insomnia and general weakness.
• Taurine is an amino acid, and potent antioxidant. Reports have shown that sufficient taurine levels may contribute to a feeling of calmness, essential to restful sleep.

And once you get the uninterrupted sleep your body craves, you’ll wake up feeling alert, sharp, energized and ready to start the day. It is always a good practice to study the ingredients of any supplement before taking them. Check with your doctor whether a sleep support supplement is advisable for you.

Green Superfood Ingredients Importance of green ingredients in our regular diet

Whenever someone hears a nutritionist talk about poor eating habits the first thing that comes to mind is obesity. And that’s perfectly logical because we are a diet-conscious nation and it’s virtually impossible to open a newspaper or listen to a news broadcast without hearing that Americans are gaining pounds and inches at an unprecedented rate.

But obesity is more than simply unattractive. It’s also unhealthy. So unhealthy that it’s literally killing us. A study by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published in JAMA concludes that obesity kills 112,000 Americans each year. Other studies claim the figure may be even higher. In addition to the alarming death rate, being overweight or obese may be a factor in other chronic health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea and osteoarthritis. In addition, researchers are studying the possible link between being overweight and having an increased risk of developing several types of cancer.

We all know what it takes to combat obesity. Cut back on greasy pizza, sugary cereals, buckets of fried chicken and fast-food burgers with salty French fries; and start eating at least 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Wholesome meals, the kind our parents used to prepare. But unfortunately, between home, work and family obligations, it’s almost impossible to make daily trips to the supermarket or to spend hours in the kitchen preparing meals.

If you find yourself and your family faced with a nutritional gap, health experts recommend you supplement your diet with a green super food. A nutrient-dense super food will deliver the health-giving properties your body may be lacking. It contains the elements necessary to support increased energy, greater immune health, faster cell rejuvenation, healthy stamina, and proper digestion and elimination. It contains fruits, vegetables, phytonutrients, probiotics, digestive enzymes, fiber and an immune supporting source of antioxidants to help you feel better, look younger and stay healthier.

Green super foods can add vital nutrients to our diet. Chlorophyll is an important nutrient found in green plants. It gives green color to foods and is a rich source of antioxidants. Chlorophyll increases oxygen availability in our system and is vital for the body’s rapid assimilation of amino acids. Young cereal grasses like barley and wheat grass juice contain high concentrations of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is also found in Chlorella and Spirulina, both algae containing high amounts of protein along with essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Nova Scotia Dulce, another algae, contains all the trace elements our body needs along with a high protein content.

Natural sources include vegetables like spinach, broccoli, kale, parsley, carrot, and cauliflower which contain chlorophyll. carotenoids, bioflavinoids, vitamins and organic mineral complexes. Green leafy vegetables are high in vitamin B-12 and iron.

When you are looking for a dietary supplement, look for one which has a combination of of these nutrients.
• Enzymes to help digestion,
• Probiotic concentrates to help keep a healthy bacterial balance,
• Adequate amount of vegetables, fiber and antioxidant power.

There is enough positive research to indicate that certain foods help certain functions of the body.
• Flax and oat help support heart health.
• Brown rice, apple, licorice help support stomach and colon health,
• Bee pollen and royal jelly help support the immune system.
• Soy and ginko biloba support mental health.

Make sure the supplement does not contain any artificial colors, artificial preservatives, added sugar, yeast, or MSG.

Choosing the right foods in your diet is important to your health. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables, getting enough regular exercise are the best means to support good health, augmenting your diet with a good dietary supplement will give you all the essential nutrients your diet may be lacking.

Lifestyle Changes Can Head Off Full-Blown Type 2 Diabetes Kathy Smith's New Program is the Healthy Approach to Managing Type 2 Diabetes

Every 21 seconds someone is diagnosed with diabetes. The good news is that Beachbody® has a fun, easy-to-use lifestyle approach that can help manage type 2 diabetes.

If you've been searching for a way to help get you and your family on the path towards a more active and healthy lifestyle and help reduce the risks of getting type 2 diabetes, keep reading.

Kathy Smith's Project:YOU! Type 2™ is a brand-new program from one of the most trusted names in health and fitness. This all-in-one healthy solution emphasizes lifestyle changes, including education on healthy eating coupled with regular physical activity. And it's designed to produce long-term health benefits while helping you lose weight. Did you know that being at your ideal weight can help reduce the risks of getting type 2 diabetes? And if you have type 2, it can make a big difference in managing your blood glucose.

Kathy Smith's Type 2 takes the guesswork out of how to help prevent and control type 2 diabetes by providing an easy-to-follow, step-by-step nutrition plan and exercise program that works for all fitness levels! It allows you to take charge of weight control, blood glucose man­agement, and carbohydrate counting with mouthwatering real food and fun exercise programs perfect for every level of fitness. The Good2Eat! Cookbook will teach you when to eat as well as what to eat. Choose from a preplanned menu, use the Good2Eat! Mix-and-Match Meal Cards to create your own daily menu from a selection of meals and snacks, or delve into some delicious new recipes for entertaining. The exercise program focuses on the three key elements of fitness—cardio, strength training, and flexibility/relaxation—to help you get moving and see results. Take control of your life back! And, most importantly, there's even a combined program guide and daily journal, where you can write down your meals, snacks, and workouts to help you stick with the program and track your progress everywhere you go.

In fact, this amazing program was developed in conjunction with the American Diabetes Association® (ADA), the leading source of trusted information about diabetes. This is a major triumph for Beachbody in the fitness world.

Special guest speaker at the 2008 Coach Summit in Anaheim, CA, Francine Kaufman, M.D., former president of the ADA and director of the Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, stated some alarming statistics about type 2 diabetes, such as the fact that she "had to order new scales in order to weigh children over 300 pounds," and how "fat around your waist doesn't just sit there. It's metabolically active, secreting things into your systems that lead to all kinds of disease."

Yes, diabetes is a serious problem in this country. But even small actions taken each day have a cumulative effect, ultimately yielding big rewards. What's more, unlike most medications, the side effects that come with healthy living include a better body, more energy, and a reduced risk of getting many health conditions including type 2 diabetes—and the complications of diabetes, such as cardiovascular, kidney, and eye disease.

Kathy's quick tips for managing type 2 diabetes:

1. Get Active! Kathy Smith's Project:YOU! Type 2 can help you look and feel better, and help manage your glucose levels.
2. Get a Support System: You can't do it alone. Make sure you have a health care team, and surround yourself with encouraging support. Beachbody has an incredible online community of people who help each other stay motivated to succeed.
3. Track Your Progress Daily: Keep writing down your food, workouts, blood glucose readings, and moods in your personal Good2Go! Journal so you know what works for you. WOWY®, Beachbody's online gym, is full of great tools to help keep your workouts on track, too!
4. Make Healthy Food Changes: Check with your health care team before changing your diet. The amount of carbs you eat affects your blood sugar more than anything else you eat, such as proteins or fats. You'll find out that our program is not about "no carbs" but eating "slow carbs." In fact, you will be eating small amounts of carbs throughout the day. That's why the Good2Eat! Cookbook and Mix-and-Match Meal Cards are so great. They have figured it all out for you.

Mark your calendars because this revolutionary program will be available for preorder in late October and will begin shipping in early November!

How can helping fight Diabetes Help you financially??

I read an article today that was on a local talk news radio website about how Diabetes is up 90% in the last decade and how adult onset Type 2 is linked directly to obesity!

WHAT IF YOU COULD NOT ONLY HELP CURB THAT TREND BUT START A BUSINESS THAT HAS A FITNESS/NUTRIONAL PROGRAM ENDORSED WITH THE AMERICAN DIABETES SEAL OF APPROVAL... THE ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND ANYWHERE? This is TRULY an opportunity that is a WIN/WIN situation.....

You have the backing of a well-known and branded 10+ year old fitness program company along with the UNPRECEDENTED endorsement of the ADA and you have a POWERFUL Business opportunity that can help millions of people!

Now is the best time in this type of economy to be thinking about how to secure your financial freedom... and what better way than by starting a business that doctors and medical professionals everywhere will be ECSTATIC about? YES, my doctor about went through the roof when he found out..... and my business is exploding because of it!

So why not become a part of the solution and secure your financial freedom at the same time????

If you would like more information on the ADA Endorsed program and how YOU can not only help others, but help yourself.... visit my website at www.myjourneytosuccess.com or you can email me at morgan0661@gmail.com. Watch the video below.... and then come join me! We're having fun helping others! No matter whether you are already a fitness trainer, have no fitness background whatsoever.... this is a way for you to help!

Courtney

Why Aren’t You Using Online Fitness Coaching?

If I were to tell you that you could burn away as much fat as possible by sitting at your computer twiddling your fingers and toes, would you believe me? Well I sure hope you don't!

However, losing weight in the confines of your own home at your computer is not only possible, it's a reality. What I mean is that you can use the advice that's given to you through online fitness coaching to pursue a more productive way of burning off undesired fat and reach your fitness goals.

Any program, no matter how difficult or time consuming takes effort. Through online coaching, anyone can receive the advice and the motivation to put 100% effort into their fitness goals. The end result whether its weight loss, toning, and muscle gain can be achieved with certainty.

It's all about saving time and money!

If you can imagine yourself with a personal trainer at the gym, receiving face to face advice, and helping you out physically with your exercise routine, then by all means sign up to one of your local programs and off you go! There's nothing wrong with having your own personal trainer.

But the down side is that these expert trainers cost money. Some can charge $150 per hour, and many find this service so expensive to the point where their wallets are paper-thin and overdue bills are pilling up!

The cost for each type of personal training (off line - meet your trainer type) varies with different levels of service and convenience. However, let's investigate some of these services offered.

Personal training in a health club:

This has to be the least expensive due to the fact that you're already paying the club a membership fee. You could be stuck with long cues for equipment let alone the discomforting stares of fellow exercisers.

Working out at home:

With a personal trainer, this can obviously be the most convenient provided you have some equipment at home. You might find yourself walking to the bank more often with the higher rates these "come to your home" types charge.

Private training studio:

If you've accepted the invitation for personal training at their studio, chances are you'll be paying fees that would fit into the "pricey" category. Location is also another factor; if the studio is located further away than you can walk then it may not be convenient for you.

Furthermore, if the personal trainer has a busy schedule, you may not get the appointment times you had hoped for.

Although location and price can be inconvenient, there's no doubt that this method can be the most effective way to exercise. Sometimes, it's a case of confidence and personal preference to avoid certain situations, which may leave you embarrassed, confused or bothered.

For example, many have been pushed into taking advantage of the local gym's personal trainers. In terms of the convenience factor, it's a plus if you've signed up for a lengthy period. But you might find that sweating and stretching in front of hundreds of people just isn't your thing! Many people just can't stand that.

Diets and Personal Training are alike!

The truth has to be told here. People who start an exercise routine (with or without a personal trainer), only half will continue this good habit for long-term. The rest will have thrown in the towel within 6 months.

How surprised would you be to find out that old habits are repeated when you stop personal training?

This obviously varies from person to person but the lack of trainer support can sometimes render a person lazy to the point where they neglect their fitness. Because for many it's the external motivation that provides the will to exercise and reach their goals in life.

Online fitness coaching can provide a very similar service to traditional personal training, and the costs involved are usually much lower and much more affordable for the general population.

In many situations, online consultation can be an excellent service if the trainer can deliver the right amount of motivation and supporting advice to the client. This can be seen in the case of weight loss, where many clients find weight loss a difficult task due to lack of confidence.

There are always that bunch of people who will shy away from a personal trainer because of misconceptions and stereotypes. They may fear having to hire one or be under false impression that trainers are just for athletes or bodybuilders.

This is far from the truth - a supporting hand from a trainer can go a long way for many wanting to slim down or improve their fitness levels.

Online coaching really excels when the trainer acts as a mentor and plays a supporting role to dissolve misconceptions and stereotypes about people's inability to achieve the results they're after.

Let's go through some of the benefits that can be attained using online coaching:

* Personal coaching no matter where you or the trainer are located around the globe can help you develop the will and motivation to exercise

* Save money on travel expenses and expensive personal trainers

* You can exercise when you want discarding the need for timed exercise appointments

* Where self-motivation fails, online training can provide enough support to stick with a homemade program

* No need to workout at a specific place designated by the trainer, take control over your workouts at home, at the gym, at work or on the road

* Sit in the comfort of your own home on your computer to receive coaching and advice

* Have your training questions and problems answered with educated responses, promptly and confidentially via email

* Allows for tremendous flexibility, especially for those who travel

* Allows privacy for those who are intimidated by "public" personal training, such as people who don't feel comfortable with their bodies

* The American Council on Exercise asserts that online training is an effective supplement to working one-on-one with a qualified trainer

As you weigh down the benefits of online personal training, you'll find that each method will give you substantial results provided that you are willing to put 100% effort into your exercise & dietary program.

Personal trainers can't do all the work for you, but they can guide you in the right direction to the point where you can observe results in weeks not years.

Whatever the interest, the choice comes down to you. Whether you're comfortable just working out with a friend, willing to spend money to see a personal trainer, or find opportunity with an online trainer, the achievements you make will be proportional to the time you put in.

Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness eBooks Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain.
maximumfitness.com