Fit & Fab: Mid-Week Fitness Tips

Wednesday, October 10th, 2007 | Diet Tips | 6 Comments

Still hungry/impatient after following Fit & Fab’s Fitness Goals for the week? Here are a few tips to burn some extra calories and keep you satiated until your next meal:

• Eat a high-protein breakfast. This keeps us full longer. The best breakfasts are those filled with protein and fiber and contain some good carbs to kick-start you with energy for the day. My personal favorite quickie breakfast is a piece of whole wheat bread topped with a tsp of lower calorie butter and two eggs. It tastes great and it contains fiber, protein, and good carbs altogether.
• If you must order that burger, try it without the bun. This easily knocks off 200 calories. Eating your burger with a fork/knife will help you eat slower and trick you into feeling full faster. If you braved the burger without the bun, try it without mayo next time. Then, with just lettuce and tomato. You’ll be knocking off calories all the way! Grilled chicken is still the best bet at restaurants that offer it.
  (Also, when I go to Chipotle, I order my burrito in a bowl - without the tortilla - for a fulfilling salad with fewer calories.)
• Chew sugarfree gum. Not only will this temporarily take your mind off food between meals, but studies show that gum-chewers burn an extra 35 calories per day.
• Take the stairs when you can. My friend/coworker and I take the stairs at work versus taking the elevator up three floors. She informed me that five minutes of stair climbing burns an extra 45 calories a day. After you get used to this habit, the initial exhaustion should turn into a nice burst of energy (and should make up for that mini Snickers bar you snuck in during the day - I’m guilty!)

Please share your personal fitness tips and results! We would love to hear them.

Fit & Fab: Weekly Goals

Sunday, October 7th, 2007 | Diet Tips | 8 Comments

Let’s commit to be FIT & FAB starting this week with some healthy challenges:

• Drink 100 ounces of water everyday. This is feasible. Simply buy one 20-ounce bottle of Aquafina/Dasani/younameit, drink it down, then fill it up 4 more times throughout the day. You’ve got your 100 ounces! Then you’re on your way to alleviate excess water weight and clearing up your complexion. This works great. If you don’t like the taste of plain water, adding a packet of Crystal Light will do the trick.
• Eat a healthy, wholesome breakfast every morning with plenty of fiber and protein. This will give you lots of fuel to start off your day, and will keep you satisfied longer throughout the day (less snacking)! Some sample breakfasts include:
  • Strawberry banana protein smoothie (16 ounces)
  • A slice of whole wheat bread topped with a tsp of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Light and two eggs
  • A cup of your favorite high-fiber cereal with skim or soy milk
  • get creative and stay healthy!
• Walk at least 30 minutes each day. Whether it be around your neighborhood or your basement, walking for at least 30 minutes a day builds muscle and burns calories (and keeps you sane). Walk for more than 30 minutes and you’re on a roll.
• Have healthy snacks around for when you get nagging cravings. If you need to satisfy a sweet tooth, I find that peaches do just the trick. You could also opt for berries or green apples. If you want a filling, high protein snack, beef jerky is my absolute favorite. I carry a stash of jerky around in my handbag and nibble on it when I’m hungry between meals. I’m a fanatic for Hal’s Beef Jerky - you can’t beat the authenticity (or the price).
• Take your vitamins. Even a simple multivitamin will do wonders for your health, mood, and even your weight. B vitamins especially aid in energy metabolism which enhances weight loss. I personally take a multivitamin, B-complex, and fish oil pills. I recommend all three.

We can do it!

How To Get Fit (and Stay That Way)

Thursday, October 4th, 2007 | Diet Tips | 6 Comments

It’s a good idea to start by banning the word ‘diet’ from your perception about eating healthy. Diets usually do not work. Why? People eat healthy momentarily to drop a few pounds, then return to the junk that made them fat in the first place. It’s a vicious cycle! In order to lead a healthy life - and to look lean and fit and feel awesome as a result - a ‘diet’ should result in life change in how you eat.

Today, I’m going to expose some diet misconceptions that could help clear the air on why we’re not as fit as we could be.

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