Snacking can be one of the most effective ways to rev up your metabolism and slim down your waistline. Eating between meals helps stabilize blood sugar, mood, energy, and curbs hunger. Likewise, skipping the snack can lead to low blood sugar causing you to feel tired, grumpy, and “famished” when mealtime eventually comes around, creating a domino effect of poor food choices followed by eating too fast and too much… all on a slowed metabolism.
Getting Motivated
Exercise has become a scary word for many people. It is often associated with torturous hours on the treadmill or tripping over ones own feet in a class where everyone else seems to know the moves. It is no wonder so many people find it difficult to get motivated to exercise. Simply knowing it is good for you is not enough. To discover the kind of motivation that comes from within and lasts, follow these three guidelines: find the joy in exercise, incorporate it into your life in a way that complements not complicates it, and change the way you think about exercise.
New Year’s Detox
After an indulgent holiday season, I like to start off the New Year with a dietary cleanse. I have found it highly effective, for both myself and my clients, to eliminate the most problematic foods- wheat, dairy, alcohol, and all other sugar based or artificially sweetened drinks (see below for a detailed list) for 4 weeks. During this time it is equally important to eat fresh, unprocessed, nutrient dense foods to help detoxification and support optimal health.
Grilling is out, roasting is IN
During the long warm summer days, I love the easy no-dish cooking method of throwing everything out on the grill for dinner. But now that the days are getting shorter and it’s not so warm out, I’ve turned to my oven instead.
Push-ups: for all ages and abilities
The push-up is a fundamental exercise that I routinely use with most of my clients. It works the whole body and can be easily modified for either the 75 year-old woman or the 25 year-old athlete. Push-ups engage numerous muscles including the core (a group of muscles which support and protect the back), chest, shoulders, and triceps (the area on the back of the arm that can get loose and wobbly, causing the “double goodbye” effect when waving).
