How to Stay Fit and Healthy: What’s Your Mission?

People often get overwhelmed when thinking about “How to Stay Fit and Healthy”. Staying Fit and Healthy really doesn’t have to be a big process. It is the little things that you can choose to do each day that add up to being fit and healthy. There are many elements to a healthy lifestyle and choosing to make several small health-conscious changes can make all the difference. Use these tips as a guide to help you start your journey to getting on or staying on the path of being Fit and Healthy.

 How to Stay Fit and Healthy

1. Kick Your Bad Habits!

Start with just a few and work your way up. You know what bad habits are, and you know that you are choosing to do them. Put your health first! Make a list of all things in your life that you know to be unhealthy (i.e. smoking, drugs, drinking, high fat foods, high sugar foods, and more). Categorize the worse ones in a category of “Quit” and the others in the category of “Can have in moderation”. If you want to Stay Fit and Healthy you need to create your lists. Things on the moderation list are doable, as long as the majority (85-90%) of your choices are mindful and healthful. If you need help with making mindful healthy choices you may want to get a Free Coach that can help you stay on track and stay motivated with the changes you are making.

2. Sleep

Sleep tremendously affects physical, emotional, and mental health. Many of us do not get enough. You really need a minimum of 6-8 hours of sleep per night. Lack of sleep adversely affects metabolism, mood, concentration, memory, motor skills, stress hormones, the immune system and cardiovascular system and health. Sleep allows the body to heal, repair and rejuvenate itself in a way it simply cannot when a person is awake.

3. Exercise

Movement and exercise is an important part of being and staying fit and healthy. We are meant to move and be active. Cardiovascular exercise helps to strengthen the heart and lungs. Strength/Resistance training helps to strengthen the muscles. Balance and Flexibility and Stretching helps aid in body mobility, recovery, and reduces the risk of injury. Exercise also improves circulation, body awareness, and can help in combating depression, as well as other diseases. Beachbody offers many amazing exercise programs that incorporate strength, cardiovascular, and stretching. These programs are set up to progress your fitness in a safe manner, and you can do them from the comfort of your home.

4. Eat Healthfully

Making fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains the main part of your overall diet can really help you Stay Fit and Healthy. You may also include lean sources of protein such as poultry, fish, tempeh, and beans. Eating balanced and portioned meals is what helps you balance a Fit and Healthy life. It is also good to stop eating before you feel very full. Give yourself a chance to digest your food and take in the nutrients. You also want to each 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day. This would be your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks. A healthy breakfast is needed to start your day off right. It sets you up and gives you the energy and fuel for optimal mental and physical performance. Eating breakfast will help you maintain blood sugar levels, healthy weight and you will be less likely to overindulge later in the day. When thinking about snacks, you want to eat whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts or a total nutrition shake like Shakeology. Avoid highly processed foods that contain artificial sweeteners or colors, hidden sugars or excessive fat.

 How to Stay Fit and Healthy

5. Drink Water

The majority of our bodies are made of water. Most fresh fruits and vegetables contain water that will help to keep our bodies hydrated, but fresh, clean, plain water is still the best and healthiest beverage for maintaining a healthy hydrated body. It is the most natural cleanser for our organs and digestive system. Being hydrated is crucial for proper brain function, proper physical function, as well as for helping to flush toxins out through the skin (perspiration) and urine.

6. Reduce Stress

Stress can cause a myriad of problems, from heart trouble to digestive problems. Many people do not know how to manage their stress. The best forms of managing stress isregular exercise, healthy nutrition, meditation, doing things you enjoy, appropriate boundaries, spirituality, and being in nature. All of these things can help alleviate the harmful effects of stress on the body. It is also important to take breaks (vacations, mini-vacations, days off), and surround yourself with people who support you.

7. Express Yourself

It is not healthy to keep emotions bottled up inside. This can lead to mental and emotional stress, as well as physical symptoms. Unexpressed feelings and emotions have been known to be a cause to depression, sleep problems, eating disorders, and even physical pain. Learn to talk about your feelings and emotions, or express them through some sort of art. Another good tool is writing down thoughts and feelings. This is a good way to express things you may find hard to say.

8. Consistency and Moderation

In order to maintain a Fit and Healthy lifestyle, it is important to have consistency. Consistency will lead to the big picture results you want to obtain. Again, remember to make changes one at a time. Don’t make too many changes at once or you will risk relapsing into old habits. Making these choices and having them be a part of your daily life will help you to reach your health goals.

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Healthy Dinner Ideas: Easy Peasy!

Are you breaking into cold sweats because summer is just around the corner and you are thinking about bikinis and shorts? Well you’re definitely not alone. How about coming up with Healthy Dinner Ideas? Fear not! You haven’t missed the boat yet. You can get your body back into summer shape and you can still do it the good old-fashioned way, with balanced nutrition and exercise. The best part is unlike the old days, you don’t have to spend months and months waiting for results. If you couple these healthy dinner ideas with workouts like The 21 Day Fix Extreme, you’ll be summer-ready in a few weeks.

Healthy Dinner Ideas: Easy Peasy!

Check out this seven day healthy dinner idea meal plan:

Monday: Quinoa Salad with Salmon:

•        8-ounce Salmon fillet (skin-on)
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup uncooked Quinoa
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 1 cubed cucumber
• 1/2 cup red onion (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped basil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Cook Quinoa according to box directions. Season salmon, heat a tablespoon of oil over high heat. Cook the salmon skin side down for 2 minutes. Lower heat to medium and cook for 3-4 more minutes until skin is golden. Flip salmon and cook 2 more minutes. Remove salmon from heat, flake apart, and add all ingredients including cooked quinoa to a bowl. Gently stir all ingredients together.

Tuesday: Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Lean Turkey Meat Sauce

• 1 lb. lean turkey
• 1 onion
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 jar prepared spaghetti sauce
• 1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti noodles

Saute’ onion for five minutes in olive oil, add ingredients through 5, and boil noodles in salted water per box directions. Serve one cup of noodles with one cup of sauce.

Wednesday: Turkey Taco Salad

• 1 lb. lean ground turkey
• 1 package of Lawry’s Taco Seasoning
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 can vegetarian fat-free refried beans or black beans
• 1 cup low-fat shredded mexican cheese blend
• 1 cup prepared salsa or pico de gallo
• 1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
• 1 bag shredded lettuce (lettuce of your choice)

Sauté turkey in olive oil with seasonings until brown. Heat beans. Assemble with lettuce as the base, top with taco meat, beans, cheese, salsa, and sour cream. Enjoy!

Thursday: Grilled Pork Loin Medallions with Garlic Lemon-Pepper Asparagus

• 1 pound boneless pork loin cut into 1/4 inch medallions
• salt & pepper to taste
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bunch of asparagus
• 1 tbsp. lemon-pepper seasoning

Cut and season pork. Heat a grill pan with 1 tbsp. olive oil. Add pork to grill pan and grill for 3 minutes on the first side, and 2 minutes on the other side. Add asparagus to a large saute pan with 1 cup of water for 5 minutes. Drain water, add remaining olive oil, and season with minced garlic and lemon-pepper seasonings. Cook about 2 more minutes or until desired level of doneness.

Friday: Grilled Chicken with broccoli and corn

• 1 cup Lawry’s Herb & Garlic 30 minute marinade
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 ears of corn
• 2 cups of broccoli

Marinate chicken for 30 minutes. Shuck corn and lightly coat with olive oil then wrap corn in foil. Add marinated chicken to a hot grill along with foil wrapped corn. Grill chicken until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Corn needs about 15 minutes. Steam broccoli for five minutes while allowing the chicken breasts to rest.

Saturday: Summer Spaghetti with Light Caprice Salad

• 1 lb. angel hair or spaghetti (thin spaghetti) noodles
• sliced summer squash
• sliced zucchini
• 2 carrots (shaved or peeled into thin strips)
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 container cherry or grape tomatoes halved
• 1 bunch of basil
• 2 large beefsteak tomatoes
• 1/3 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Boil salted water. Saute ingredients 2-5 in a tbsp. of olive oil for 6 minutes. Add cherry tomatoes and half of the amount of basil for 2 minutes. Add noodles to water, boil no more than 6 minutes. Drain noodles and add to saute pan. Add tbsp. olive oil. Toss to combine.

Cut remaining basil into strips. Slice beefsteak tomatoes, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and basil strips, drizzle with remaining oil, 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.

Sunday: Sirloin Steak Kabobs with Grilled Polenta

• 1 lb. boneless sirloin steak cut into cubes
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 red onion
• 1 zucchini
• 1 squash
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 18 ounce tube prepared polenta

Cut vegetables (other than tomatoes) and meat into even 1 inch pieces to ensure they cook at the same rate. Prepare kebabs alternating with meat and vegetables. Drizzle with 1/8 cup of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cut polenta into 1/4 inch medallions, drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cook polenta and kebabs on a hot grill. Start polenta first, after about 10 minutes add kebabs. Grill about 5 minutes per side.

Having a Beachbody isn’t out of reach this summer! Try these Healthy Dinner Ideas and you will be energized and be able to conquer any fitness routine and make your goals a reality.

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Workout Routines for Women: Change Focus from Thin to Toned

So the question of the day is, what are the best Workout Routines for Women. Men and women seek out very different routes when looking to get healthy. Most men are look to lift weights, building muscle, and tone their bodies, while most women simply focus on cardio to get thin.

Unfortunately, it should not be focused this way. If you work out with the right program that combines lifting weights and cardio you will create a healthy body that is toned and the proper weight. When that is the focus, that will create the appropriate weight and a healthy toned body. Remember success is not always the number on the scale, but really about how your clothes fit. As you lose weight and gain muscle your weight will fluctuate but it is what your body composition is doing that makes all the difference.

Workout Routines for Women: Change Focus from Thin to Toned

When you’re designing a workout plan, you should make sure that you incorporate weight lifting and other toning exercises. In fact, the most effective plan is to have cardio, resistance training, and a balanced nutrition plan.

Here’s good news, there are plenty of workouts that can be accomplished without the need to buy special workout equipment. If you have comfortable clothing that’s easy to move in and good athletic shoes, you’re already good to go! Using your body weight can be a good way to begin a training routine that will shape and tone your body.

So how do you get started? With a proper warm-up of course. A good warm up with calisthenics and dynamics moves is always the way to go. This means lightly jogging in place for a few minutes; do some jumping jacks; or turn on your favorite music and dance.

Now it is time to move on to an exercise routine that focuses on toning and cardio, or toning one day and cardio the next. The more you mix it up, the more likely you are to have results. A couple of options for fast results include the 21 Day Fix, which is designed to get you toned and back into shape fast. There is also Beachbody On-Demand which gives you access to a vast library of programs that allows you to find a workout that best suits your goals. Beachbody On-Demandallows you to change things up whenever you get bored. This will help keep you moving and motivate you to achieve your goals.

Finish it out with a Cool down. Once you’ve completed your worked out you don’t want to just stop. Instead, take a few minutes to stretch, relieving the tension in muscles that you’ve just worked hard.

Utilizing these program suggestions will help shift your focus from simply weight loss to toning. This shift will help you reach your goals and gain greater results.

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Eating Healthy On A Budget – Yes, It is Possible!

Eating healthy on a budget may often feel like an impossible challenge when you start walking through the grocery store. You look at the cost of healthy food, and start to wonder whether or not it’s really worth it. It is worth it, and YOU can eat healthy on a budget. You can fill your shopping cart with food that will fuel your mind and body without breaking the bank. The trick is to know how to do it.

Eating Healthy On A Budget – Yes, It is Possible!

Here are a couple tips to get you headed in the right direction.

1. Have vegetarian days. Reduce the amount of meat you’re eating. When you reduce your meat consumption, you also reduce the amount of money that you’re spending, which in turn frees up funds in your budget for other healthy choices.

2. Don’t buy pre-packaged food if you can avoid it. The healthiest nutrition is one that consists of natural, whole foods that have been acquired in their original state. That “fat free” or “low fat” packaged foods might be tempting, but they are packed full of artificial colors and flavors, not to mention being high in sodium and high in chemical compositions that you cannot even pronounce. You will be surprised by the budget difference when you pick up the individual ingredients for your favorite healthy treats instead of buying them ready-made for you. A good example is a container of hummus that costs around $4 can be made from a can of low-sodium beans ($1) and a handful of other ingredients that you may already have sitting around your home. Ready-to-serve oatmeal packets cost twice as much per serving than if you buy a big canister of oatmeal and sweeten it with honey. Plus it is just flat out healthier for you.

3. Eat more fruits and vegetables. The high fiber content of most fruits and vegetables will actually help you feel full longer, which means that you’ll be less likely to come back and snack later. By adding fruits and vegetables to your nutrition, you not only decrease the amount that you’re eating, you also substantially increase your consumption of healthy nutrients that your body needs to function at its optimal level.

4. Explore alternative sources of protein. Try out nut butters, beans, and Tempeh for healthier alternatives to eating large amounts of meat. Beans and Tempeh, in particular, are much less expensive but still have great nutritional benefits.

There are plenty of ways to stay within your budget and eat healthy. These are just a few strategies you can use to reduce your total at the grocery store.

No time for breakfast?  Check out 101 Healthy Nutritious Shake Recipes

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Understand Why You May Be Gaining Weight While on a Low Fat Diet

When it comes to losing weight, most people turn to a low fat diet thinking that is the best route to go. However there really is no reason to go on a low fat diet, or an all meat diet, or any other fad diet that is out there. Losing weight is about eating balanced nutrition. Fad diets will only create weight loss for a short period of time if at all. It typically just leads to yo-yoing, and most gain all their weight back or more.

First thing you want to be doing is paying attention to your nutrition and portion sizes even when you don’t have weight to lose. This helps you maintain your weight and prevention is always better than having to lose the weight. Ultimately you are here because you do have some weight to lose. Here are a few tips that will help you make sure that you have an understanding why you may have put on weight but also information about putting the right nutrition into your body.

Understand Why You May Be Gaining Weight While on a Low Fat Diet

The first thing you want to figure out is exactly why you’re gaining weight. What have you been doing or not been doing that could have led to the weight gain? Are you exercising or exercising less? Are you taking any new medications? Did you start taking birth control? Do you suffer from hypothyroidism? These are all things that can lead to gaining weight. Understanding where you weight gain is coming from will help you establish a path of nutrition that will work best for you.

Dos and Don’ts of Balanced Nutrition

Don’ts

1. Fast Food. Everyone knows that eating fast food is bad for you. Most fast food meals contain more than a thousand calories, which would consist of half or more of your total calorie intake for a day.
2. Fried Foods and Desserts. You need to think about whether you’re the kind of person who tends to splurge on fried foods or sweets. Figure out your weaknesses and you’ll know what you need to avoid most of the time.
3. Late Night Snacking. A good recommendation is to not eat two hours prior to bedtime. Snacking late at night can pack on the pounds.

Dos

1. Keeping a journal. If you’re not entirely sure where you’re going wrong, you can figure this out by keeping a journal of everything you eat.
2. Eat 5-6 Smaller Meals Every 3-4 hours. This will keep your metabolism working properly and keep you from being very hungry, which can lead to unneeded snacking or choosing snacks that may not be healthy.
3. Sleep 7-8 Hours Every Night. This will help to keep your hormone ghrelin at optimal levels. Excess levels may result in weight gain.
4. Utilize a Total Nutrition Shake for a Snack or Meal Replacement. High quality total nutrition shakes can provide you all of your daily nutritional, and make a great snack or meal replacement when used in a recipe to meet your caloric needs. Shakeology is a high quality nutrition shake that has been known to increase your energy, make you feel healthier, as well as improve digestion and regularity. Plus Shakeology comes in six different flavors and tastes amazing.
5. Cut out the unhealthy foods. With that said find replacements for those foods that really do satisfy you. Check out some of these healthy meal and snack ideas.

So no fad diet is needed. You will stop gaining weight and lose weight by creating a healthy balanced nutrition plan that you enjoy.

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Healthy Snacks For Work: FIVE You’re Going to Love!

Most of us tend to think that if we eat three balanced meals everyday, our diet is taken care of.  However, it’s easy for unhealthy foods to creep in while you’re snacking.  Let’s say you eat breakfast before you leave home at about eight o’clock.  You’re not going to have lunch until at least one, maybe even two if you get caught up in work.  That’s nearly five or six hours during which your body will need some sustenance.  Most of us just end up taking a trip to the vending machine but how long are you going to feed yourself chips and candy before your body starts to rebel, in terms of digestive problems as well as gaining weight?  Instead, it’s a good idea to pack two healthy snacks per day, one for that mid-morning meal and another for the mid-afternoon.  Here are Five Healthy Snacks For Work that won’t be difficult to carry:

Healthy Snacks For Work: FIVE You’re Going to Love!

1. An Apple and a Tablespoon of Almond Butter.  You can store a jar of almond butter at work and carry an apple with you.  Make sure you also keep a knife at work so that you can slice the apple and spread the almond butter when you feel hungry.  And store the almond butter in a dry area.  An apple contains 116 calories and one tablespoon of almond butter contains 102 calories.  So this is a pretty low-calorie snack containing approximately 200 calories.
2. Whole Wheat Pita Bread and Hummus.  If you’re in the mood for more carbs and less fruits or vegetables, you can go with whole wheat pita bread and hummus.  Whole Livingrecommends this as one of the best snacks to take to work, as it comes up to about 187 calories per serving.  If you like cooking, you can even make up a batch of hummus and then eat it for 3-4 days.  Store both items in your work refrigerator and enjoy whenever you need a boost.
3. Whole Grain Cereal with Berries.  This is another thing it would be easy to store at work.  Just pick up a box of whole grain cereal, a box of berries and some skim milk on your way to work.  Store the perishables in your work refrigerator and the whole grain cereal in a dry place.  This gives you a lot of fiber and a little bit of sugar for a much needed pick me up.
4. Energy Bar.  This is one you have to really be careful with… You can use store bought energy bars, but as always you would be better off creating your own. If you don’t have time to make homemade bars, then here is what to look for when purchasing store bought bars. It is suggested that you look for bars that have more than 8 grams of protein per serving.  You also want to look for bars that have 3-4 grams of fiber per serving, 10 grams or less sugar, and stay away from artificial sweeteners like Sucralose, or maltodextrin.  The advantage of nutrition bars is that they are easy to transport.  However if you are using nutritional bars you do not want to rely solely on them as your snacks. You want to make sure that at least one of your daily snacks contains fruits or veggies.
5. Meal Replacement Shake.  For an easy snack which requires no preparation, you can try a meal replacement shake such as Shakeology.  Store these at work and grab one mid-morning for a filling, nutritious, tasty snack.  You’ll end up feeling energized all day long.  Or if you opt to drink one in the afternoon instead, it’ll help you shake off that afternoon lethargy.  There are many delicious shake recipes as well, that are easy-to-make.  Surveys show that shakes such as Shakeology make people feel healthier, improve their regularity and increase their energy levels.

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It's so great to see things simplified for you and help give you a motivation boost in the right direction! This article talks about all of the key things in achieving a healthy weight loss and doing what's necessary to maintain it...Another Fantastic article!

How to Get Fit Fast: Yes It Is Possible!

All of us want to be healthy and fit, but many of us would like to see some decent results in a shorter period of time. We want to know the tips and tricks to get some results. We want to know“How to Get Fit Fast”. Seeing results in a couple of weeks and seeing your body starting to change within a month or so, will help to keep you motivated and you will be more likely to keep going. At the same time, you need to make sure that you are keeping a balanced regimen and not overdoing it, as this can be counterproductive.

So what does it take to keep balance in nutrition and exercise, while still producing quick results? It really just comes down to your commitment and these few quick and easy tips.

A Balance of Cardio and Resistance Training: It has been scientifically proven time and again that having a balance of cardio exercise and resistance training, coupled with balance and flexibility training will create the greatest results. However, everyone is different so you will need to find the best balance for your body. The best way to do this is to utilize a program that has a pretty equal balance of cardio exercise days with strength/resistance training days.

Women, there is no reason to be worried about resistance training. You will not gain big bulky muscles with a balance cardio and resistance plan that utilizes the appropriate weights. Same goes for you men. Don’t think doing cardio is going to keep you from building the muscular physique that you desire. When you choose the right weights you can lose that fat, and put on the muscle you want.

How to Get Fit Fast: Yes It Is Possible!

It would be suggested that you spend a minimum of 21 days on a specific program to see how your body is responding. After the 21 days you may decide if your body seems to respond better to a few more days of cardio or resistance training and make changes to your program as necessary. Though it is highly suggested to have a minimum of two days per week that is resistance training. The 21 Day Fix is a great program to consider when starting out. It is perfectly balanced to provide results.

Consume a Balanced Nutrition Plan: If you want your muscles to repair and recover faster you need to have balanced nutrition. Balanced nutrition consists of portion control, and 4-6 servings of vegetables, 2-3 servings of fruit, 4-6 servings of lean proteins, 2-4 servings of high fiber grains, and 1-3 servings of healthy fats. The servings are determined by your total calorie consumption needed on a daily basis. A clean balanced nutrition plan will aid in weight loss, and help build lean muscle.

Within your balanced nutrition plan you will really want to put emphasis on vegetables and fruit. Remember that these should lead your plate. When your body has the nutrients it needs, your body can process the proteins better as well. This will create a healthier body inside and out, help keep your energy levels up, and overall aid in weight loss and muscle recovery.

Additionally, you could add a meal or snack replacement shake that also provides complete nutrition, like Shakeology. This will keep your nutrient levels at a proper level, increase your energy, provide you a high-quality source of lean protein, and all of your vitamins and minerals. You may want to consider some of these quality nutrition plans when to help you out. You will find complete balance in the 21 Day Fix, 21 Day Fix Extreme, or other Beachbody Programs that offer similar nutrition plans.

Do Something You Enjoy: There are a number of different programs, regimens, and activities that you can do that could create results. However, choosing a program, regimen or activities that you enjoy will make all the difference. Keep in mind that having a regimen with numerous different activities and exercises may create greater results. Let’s face it, it gets boring you spend a full hour on a treadmill or elliptical trainer. It is much more effective to participate in a program/regimen that is 30-40 minutes of highly effective cardio and resistance training that you enjoy.

An incredible option would be to take a look at Beachbody On-Demand. You can subscribe and gain access to over 150 different streaming workout videos that you can choose based on your interests and do in any location. So there is no getting bored since you can just pick a different program or workout every day if you so choose. Beachbody On-Demand also gives you an incredible variety of on-line tools like meal planners, shopping list, workout logs, and support from a Beachbody Coach at no additional cost!

What are you waiting for! You now have these quick and easy tips to start getting results right away. Start losing weight or building muscle, and create that healthy body you have always wanted.

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