AH HA!!!

While doing a little shopping with Chloe at the dollar store, I came across a book called "Eat Your Way to a Healthy Life" by Ed & Elisa McClure.  I almost didn't buy it, because I thought it would be like all the others that I tried and failed.  Something inside me made me get it, and I'm glad I did.  I couldn't put it down.  It discussed the Zoe 8 Weight Management Program which lines up your spirit, mind, and body.  That's what I was missing.  The body is the Lords temple, I should have brought him in on the plans to change it.  He should be included on all things.  I suggest to everyone who wants to live a healthier life to go and get this book.

a cardio challenge

Bob Harper (BL trainer) posted this cardio challenge.  I'm going to try it... someone join me, I don't want to be the only one.  http://www.mytrainerbob.com/blog-posts/bob-harpers-inside-out-method-cardio-pushups

I'm bouncing back

Almost 2 weeks ago I ate some bad venesan (deer meat).  That on top of the flu bug and some other health problems, I have been sick and dehydrated.  I'm drinking lots of water and will try to take a small walk tomorrow and slowly build my strength back up.  I don't want to jump back into my routine, that'll be a good way to make me sick again.  As a single mother, spending time in the hospital is not an options.  Remember, even though being sick can be a set back on the weightloss journey, you don't want to try to make up for lost time.  Just take it easy and keep moving foward.

8 slim-down tips from The Biggest Loser trainers

 Get Ready to Lose!

Now you can learn to shed pounds using the very same diet strategies that Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels share with contestants at The Biggest Loser ranch. As Bob and Jillian like to say, when you're trying to lose weight, success depends on one person: you. Make the commitment to eat healthier and amp calorie burn and the pounds will start to melt off. Are you ready?

1. Crank Up the Incline

Run for the hills.

Jillian says, the next time you're doing your treadmill workout try boosting the incline. You'll change the muscles you're training; you'll up your calorie burn by increasing the intensity; and you'll add some variety to your cardio so you don't get bored.

2. Hold That Position

Just because your heart isn't pounding doesn't mean you're not working out.

Core workouts focus on improving strength and stability of the torso. Holding a yoga or Pilates pose offers as much of a challenge as a sweat-drenched workout, says Bob. Start by holding a pose for 5 to 10 breaths, then gradually work up to holding it for one minute. These workouts offer benefits such as improved posture and strengthening the lower back as well as your abdominals.

3. Ditch the Soda

Quench your thirst with better bubbles.

When it comes to choosing a beverage, don't drink soda, says Jillian. Whether it's sugared soda or diet soda, it's terrible for your body. It'll put weight on you, dehydrate you, and deplete the minerals from your system. Make a smarter choice. Sparkling water, unsweetened iced teas, green tea and white tea have been shown to burn more fat and up to 78 more calories per day.

4. Throw Your Weight Around

Discard the equipment for allover results.

Jillian says that a great way to improve your balance and coordination is to work with your own body weight. Oftentimes when you go to the gym and you work on machines, it artificially isolates a muscle, which isn't natural. But when you do things like squats, lunges, pushups, crunches, pull-ups--the variety of exercises is almost endless—you're forcing your upper and lower body to synergize and work together. This gives you more balance, more stability, more coordination and better overall performance.

5. Get Menu-Savvy

Pay attention to these healthy food terms.

Almost 25% of Americans' meals come from eating out. So it's important to make your next restaurant visit a healthy one. Jillian suggests you look for steamed, boiled, baked, grilled, poached, or roasted foods on the menu. Don't be shy about making special requests if you don't see a figure-friendly option. When in doubt, go the salad route. Salads are a healthy choice, especially with dressing and cheese on the side.

6. Avoid Over-Processed Foods

Read nutrition labels to identify diet disasters.

Bob suggests avoiding foods containing high fructose corn syrup, a sweetener and preservative that helps extend the shelf life of food. (Foods to watch out for: soda, cereals, bread, breakfast bars, ice cream.) It's found in processed foods that are often high in calories and low in nutritional value. Simply read the nutritional facts on your favorite foods to see if they contain high fructose corn syrup. If they do, throw them out.

7. Eat These for Stress Relief

Swap junk food for healthy comfort foods.

Bob says it's easy to make poor food choices when we're stressed—but here's the skinny on some real stress-reducing comfort food. Walnuts help replace stress-depleted B vitamins and it's a great source of omega 3s. Also try eating asparagus, a natural mood lightener. Dip them in fat-free yogurt for a touch more calcium. And when chocolate and only chocolate will do, go for the dark option. Dark chocolate contains anti-oxidants with the strength to fight not only cancer but also heart disease.

8. Torch Calories with Weights

Strength train for maximum calorie burn.

When you're working out, it's important to incorporate weight training into your routine says Bob. You'll burn 8 to 10 calories a minute lifting weights. Also, lifting weights gives you a metabolic spike for an hour after your workout because your body is trying hard to help your muscles recover.

Get a Biggest Loser 1-Week Sample Meal Plan.

Join The Biggest Loser Club for daily meal plans, recipes, a customized fitness program, and more!  (http://www.biggestloserclub.com/)

Doctors TV free health tips

I just got done watching the Doctors on Fox, and they had some great tips on taking care of a variety of health situations for free.  Jillian Michaeals was on there and gave her advice as well.

http://www.localharvest.org/  Some farmers markets will let you take fresh produce if you volunteer.

http://www.somniorunning.com/ Click on "sign up to be a wear tester".  They will send you a free pair of running shoes to try out.

Check out gyms with free membership trials.

You can go to various websites to sign up for free products.  You can do this will most of your favorite products.  Here are some sites that can guide you in the right direction.  Still watch out for scams.  Never give your credit card number.  Remember if it's free, there's no need to give it.
http://www.mamacheaps.com/, http://www.freeflies.com/, http://www.craigslist.org/, freecycle.org

Most stores have Dr. Scholls "foot mapping" machines.  In a few minutes, it will tell you for free what kind of insoles would be best for your individual feet.

Every pharmacy has a blood pressure machine.  Check it out.  Remember, there are no symptoms for high blood pressure.  So if you can check it for free, do it.

Free clinics are available to those at and below the poverty line.  You'll be able to get check ups, immunizations, maternity care, prescriptions, etc.  Some sites you can go to for more info are http://www.freeclinics.us/, http://www.stdcheck.org/, http://www.plannedparenthood.org/, and this one's not on there but I'm adding it http://www.womenschoicecenter.org/.

Some hospitals give free mammagrams.  Go to http://www.komen.org/ to find one in your area.

http://www.vsp.com/ will hook you up with places that give free eye exams and a free pair of glasses once a year.

For these and other tips, go to http://www.thedoctorstv.com/, and look up the episode for November 9, 2010.

Jillian Michaels's homemade gym ideas

Hand/dish towels--one under each food while in plank position.  Slide feet underneath you bringing your butt up, then stretching them straight back.  Then open and close legs.  This will strengthen your legs, butt, and abs.

Chair or coffee table--sit on edge with hands holding on both sides.  Feet straight out front on heels.  Lower your butt down with elbows in a 45 degree angle, lift yourself up and down.  Strengthens your butt, legs, abs, arms, and chest.

Full bucket (sand or dirt)--hold while doing lunges and squats.

Stretchy cords--stand on one end, use hand to stretch the other.  One end in each hand, and stretch arms outward.  Pull cord around back (one end in each hand) and stretch up and out front.

Water bottles/jugs--use as dumbbells.

Why BPA Is Bad News

Do you love warming up with a bowl of soup on a chilly fall day? Well, before you open up your next can of soup — or any can for that matter — you'd better listen up! Those cans could have the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in their linings — which means that the food in them might contain BPA, too.
BPA has been used for years in clear plastic bottles to make them more durable and in the liners of food cans to make the products last longer. Consumer Reports recently tested numerous name-brand canned products, including soup, juice, vegetables, and tuna, and found at least some amount of BPA in almost all of them. The chemical was even found in some products that were labeled BPA-free. A few studies have linked BPA to an increased risk of breast and prostate cancer, infertility, PCOS, insulin resistance, and diabetes. That's pretty scary stuff considering that we get almost 30 percent of our food from cans. Liners of metal cans aren't the only place where you can find BPA, though. The chemical has also been found in baby bottles, polycarbonate drinking bottles, and other beverage containers.
Current federal guidelines on BPA levels don't take into account the hundreds of recent animal and laboratory studies done on the potential health effects of BPA levels. However, the Food and Drug administration will soon decide what level of exposure of BPA is safe.
I know that metal cans are convenient, but why take the risk with BPA? Use glass, stainless steel, or ceramic bottles whenever possible. Try to make meals from scratch as often as you can, using the freshest ingredients that you can afford and find. Trust me, a good homemade meal will beat a canned or processed one any day — and that's especially true for homemade soup! You can eat these delicious dishes immediately or store the leftovers in the freezer (in a BPA-free container) for later. You — and your good health — will thank me for it.

JILLIAN'S TIP OF THE DAY

More Reasons to Can the Can

Did you know that you're not getting nearly the nutritional bang for your caloric buck by cutting open a can? Many veggies lose up to 90 percent of their original nutrients in the canning process. Plus, canned foods are typically very high in sodium — some cans of soup have 2,000 mg! Stay away from processed foods as much as possible, and eat whole foods. Buy frozen vegetables and visit your grocery store's produce aisle and your local farmers markets instead of getting your vegetables from cans.