Establishing Healthy Habits

Whу dоеѕ time flу by whеn we practice unhеаlthу hаbіtѕ lіkе еаtіng junk food, not wоrkіng оut, or when we are engaged in any other bad habits. Then when we decided tо сhаngе іn an еffоrt to be hеаlthу the time seems to drag at a ѕnаіl’ѕ расе. Which is why most people drеаd the ѕtаrt оf establishing healthy habits.

Establishing Healthy Habits

When most have gеnuіnе thоughtѕ and good іntеntіоnѕ to become hеаlthіеr; there needs to be something that checks a person in and makes Establishing Healthy Habits a rеаlіtу. How do you turn those thoughts аnd іntеntіоnѕ іntо rеаl dау to day hаbіtѕ? Stаrtіng usually isn’t the hаrd раrt; іt’ѕ ѕtісkіng tо іt whіlе уоur engaged in your сrаzу, buѕу, unрrеdісtаblе lіfе. Its about making a commitment to yourself and sticking tо уоur healthy gunѕ no matter what. Creating small hаbіtѕ at first that you can take соnѕіѕtеnt асtіоn on is the best way to start. It is absolutely роѕѕіblе, аnd уоu can ѕtаrt establishing thоѕе game сhаngіng habits rіght.

Here are some now ѕіmрlе ѕtерѕ to Establishing Healthy Habits 

1. Bесоmе an Obѕеrvеr – Dоn’t mіndlеѕѕlу gо thrоugh your dау. Mаkе a rеаl еffоrt tо observer your dесіѕіоnѕ аnd асtіоnѕ. They do have effects аnd соnѕеquеnсеѕ on уоur hеаlth and wellness. Look at уоurѕеlf when еаtіng thаt thіrd dоughnut in frоnt оf thе TV. It’s not a рrеttу picture right.

2. Assume Responsibility – Dеѕріtе hоw it may seem аt tіmеѕ, уоu ARE in control of уоur life. Stop mаkіng еxсuѕеѕ. Yеѕ it’s difficult tо mаkе thе tіmе аnd рut in thе effort tо bе hеаlthу but…. Brеаkіng News, making еxсuѕеѕ isn’t going to make your health or life any better. Stop аvоіdіng responsibility.

3. Tаkе Aсtіоn – Sorry but thіnkіng, drеаmіng аnd hоріng are nоt actions. Action іnvоlvе wоrk, time, and еffоrt. Whісh does yield rеаl lіfе rеѕultѕ.

Thе ѕесrеt kеу tо unlосkіng a lіfе of vіbrаnt health, physical fіtnеѕѕ, and орtіmum wеllnеѕѕ is Establishing Healthy Habits tо change уоur mind-set. When you step away from negative thinking, and get educated on what really works to create a healthy lifestyle the dividends are enormous.

http://www.fitsolutionsblog.com/establishing-healthy-habits/#!35

Belly Bloat

Many women over the age of 30 begin to experience issues with Belly Bloat. More women are complaining about feeling bloated, gassy and exhausted all the time. Who wants to feel like they are constantly rundown and empty.

Yet many women struggle with this in silence, not to mention the constant feeling that they are fat, struggling to squeeze into your jeans. When a lot of the time it comes down to Belly Bloat.

Belly Bloat

So why is this happening to often and more so to women than men?
The first reason is estrogen. Yes estrogen causes women to experience things that men just won’t. So does this mean that the hormones are the cause? Well not exactly. The real cause is that most people in general don’t eat enough fresh vegetables and clean whole foods. When this happens the endocrine (hormone) system is the first to take the brunt of poor nutrition.

In turn this creates issues within the digestive system. Your digestive system really is the brain of your body. When we don’t feed the body correctly the brain isn’t happy. Thus causing Belly Bloat.

Now ladies I know you the majority of you have experienced these symptoms:

• The bloated belly that makes it impossible to close your favorite pair of jeans (or even get them on)
• Brain fog that makes thinking straight out of the question
• Exhaustion that makes it incredibly difficult to get through a normal day, much less consider working out.

Don’t worry, you’re not alone. About 80% of women suffer with these symptoms, and more! What’s worse is so many of go to our doctors looking for answers, only to find there are none, and they are even told, “It’s all in your head”, or “You’re just stressed out”.Well it is not just in your head and its not just caused from stress. It can be fixed but it will take some adjustments on your part.

Belly Bloat

The first two easy things to look at is your sugar and caffeine intake.

• Sugar – When your system is overloaded with simple sugars, the result is excess bloating and gas. Bloating occurs when the sugars ingested are poorly absorbed and make their way in to the large intestine feeding the sugar bugs, or bad bacteria, that reside there. The sugar bugs produce further toxic gases causing bloating, discomfort, pain, and irregular bowel movements.
• Caffeine – Caffeine can harm your stomach and intestines by destroying the linings. When you drink coffee your stomach produces large amounts of hydrochloric acid. When you drink coffee on an empty stomach, this production increases.After age 25, our hydrochloric acid production naturally begins to decrease, making it more difficult to digest the foods we eat. Ingesting caffeine, causes an overproduction of HCl, reducing the body’s ability to produce HCl for digestion.When there is a shortage of HCl, we run into problems breaking down foods. The undigested foods ferment in our systems causing gases, and providing fuel for the sugar bugs, or bad bacteria, further exacerbating belly bloat.

The other two things that may be need is Vitamin D and a good Nutritional Refresh.

• Vitamin D – Vitamin D is actually a hormone created in the body with sunlight and cholesterol. It goes through a series of changes to become active and available in the body, ultimately moving from the kidneys to where it is needed. Studies show a connection between Vitamin D deficiencies and gut health. Proper vitamin D levels have been shown to reduce inflammation in the body including the gut. Vitamin D plays a vital role in the balance of gut flora. Increasing Vitamin D levels helps to reduce chronic inflammation and improves digestion and immune function.
• Nutritional Refresh – A nutrition refresh allows you to clean our your system and refresh through eating properly combined foods and supplements. When you do a proper nutrition refresh it will detoxify and cleanse the digestive system, while supporting the metabolism. Which in turn will have your body function more efficiently, and it helps burn fat. A highly recommend nutritional refresh is the 3-Day Refresh System by Beachbody.

If you are women who has been suffering from Belly Bloat you now have the answers to start achieving optimal health and regaining your energy. You deserve to have presence of mind to fully enjoy life, workout, and feel good.

http://www.fitsolutionsblog.com/belly-bloat/#!35

Men and Women Over 40

Men and Women Over 40 don’t give up on yourself! Why do you think it is all over at 40 and you cannot be active, athletic, and look good? You can have that all. Men and Women Over 40 it is the time when you have made mistakes and hopefully learned from many mistakes. It is a time to overcome and live life even more. It is not a time to give in and slow down. You can still be active, sexy and feel amazing.

Men and Women Over 40

Is it really that different for Men and Women Over 40? The truth is… No! Of course the genders have different complaints about their bodies as they age, but what is needed to make things happen is relatively the same.

So let’s start with the women and look at their biggest complaints about their bodies.

1. The disappearing waist and the lower tummy expanding. Many women allow themselves to fall into patterns that turn their shape into an apple or a sausage. Ultimately this shape isn’t just about being unattractive. This shape could also be associated with heart disease or insulin resistance which sets the body into turning calories into fat instead of using them for energy.
2. The thighs and butt. With a sedentary lifestyle, many ladies tend to lose shape in these areas. What was once round, firm and shapely, is now flabby, flat and dimpled. This often means many will skip out of wearing shorts or a bathing suit since the ‘cottage cheese’ like texture of their thighs and butt.
3. The back of the arm (Triceps Area). Without resistance training it is inevitable that women will lose their upper body strength and the soft or flabby arms set in.

Okay now for the Men… let’s take the biggest complaints are about their bodies.

1. The Beer Belly. Just like women, many men allow themselves to fall into patterns that turn those once flattened stomachs into bulging beer bellies. Outside of not being so attractive, this shape is also associated with heart disease, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and more.
2. The Man Boobs. This is straight for poor nutrition and exacerbated by no upper body workouts. No man enjoys having their pecs look like women’s breast tissue.
3. The Upper Back. Without resistance training men will create flabby backs that are straight down into their waist versus a nice tapered V.

What is the answer for Men and Women Over 40?

Exercise and Nutrition! Of course you know this but here are a few suggestions of things that you can start doing today, even if you are not in a regular exercise routine yet, or still need some work on healthy nutrition.

For women, it is about adding these exercises.

1. The Squat. This is one of the MOST effective exercises to firm and tone the back of the legs, or hamstrings and the butt. When done correctly, will not only create a shapely leg and firm the butt area, but it will also protect the knees. The key to successfully incorporating the squat into a routine is to work into depth or range of motion slowly and in a pain free range.
2. The Lateral Lunge. When this lunge is done correctly, this exercise targets the glute area and inner thighs. A cardiovascular response can also be gained when a hop is added in between lunges and the pace is sped up.
3. The Deadlift. Many women typically have a muscle imbalance between quad and hamstring strength. This exercise targets the hamstrings, or back of the legs specifically as well as it addresses flexibility.
4. Triceps Dips. This will not only start to strengthen the triceps and decreasing the flab, but it will also help sculpt the shoulder which can enhance how the arms look overall.

For men, it is about adding these exercises.

1. Ab Work. This is one of the MOST effective exercises to firm and tone the abdominal muscles. There are an endless number of exercises that can create a stronger sexier midsection.
2. Push Ups. When done correctly, this exercise targets the pec major, pec minor, the lats (upper back), shoulders, and abs.
3. Pull Ups or Lat Pulldowns. This exercise targets the upper back but specifically hits the lats which is the muscle that will help develop that lean V taper to the waist. as well as it addresses flexibility.

Now that you have a few exercises to make a part of your workout regiment you need to know how often and what else to do. To begin building that beautiful and sexy physique you must train INTENSELY 3-4 days a week, as well as train 2 days with moderate exercise. Therefore working out should happen 5-6 days per week. The moderate exercise days should be in between intense workouts. Our bodies were meant to MOVE. We can’t expect to invest 30 minutes three times a week and have the body of our dreams. A daily, or near daily commitment to 45-60 minutes of exercise is required. This should include resistance style training or metabolic training 2-3 times per week, HIT Training 1-2 times per week, and another style of cardio (i.e. running, biking, swimming, etc) 1-2 times per week. For optimal results it is important to establish a periodized training plan.

Of course this should go without saying, but a supportive nutrition plan and plenty of plain old water is an absolute MUST. Dieting is not the answer to lasting weight loss. A diet that you start and stop is counterproductive. It is paramount to make life long nutritional changes that will result in lowering body fat levels and support lean muscle mass. The most important nutrition tips that can help lose that belly fat is keep starchy carbohydrates to no more than 2 servings a day for women and 3 servings for men, eat 4 servings of fresh vegetables a day, keep sugar grams at 60 grams per day or less, eat 15-20 grams of protein 4 times per day for women and 5 times per day for men, and drink 100 -150 ounces of water per day.

Men and Women Over 40 can have the body they desire, even if they have let it go. It may take a bit more effort but it is possible.

http://www.fitsolutionsblog.com/men-and-women-over-40/#!35

Halloween Fitness Challenge

With or without kids it can be hard to resist getting caught up in all of the trick or treat madness. Or should we say sweet madness. Those sweets can be one of the greatest temptations with Halloween. So this year why not take the Halloween Fitness Challenge. It will help you keep away from the temptation and give you something to focus on.

Halloween Fitness Challenge

Rather than allowing all those treats sit around the house and haunt you, you can make this Halloween different with the Halloween Fitness Challenge. Here’s what you can do…

Since the holiday is quickly approaching make this coming week (the second week of October) your preparation week. Clean out all the junk from your house so you cannot grab a cookie or junk food snack at all between now and Halloween. The second thing to do during this prep week is make a two-week meal and snack plan. So some grocery shopping and meal prep your lunches and dinners so you are ready to go. If you need healthy meal and snack ideas be sure to check out some of these recipes.

These few steps alone will help you keep up with your nutrition and make all of your workout efforts worth it because it will help bring results. Once you have your prep week done, it is on to the challenge itself which will cover the last two weeks of October.

Halloween Fitness Challenge

Think of this challenge as your Halloween pre-game. This year your Halloween will be completely different if you take on this Two Week Halloween Fitness Challenge. Here is how it works…

http://www.fitsolutionsblog.com/halloween-fitness-challenge/#!35

1) Two Weeks Before Halloween – For these two weeks prior to Halloween you have to stay focused on improving your results and staying on track. You need a goal, maybe a tighter tush, feeling leaner, or having more energy. Whatever you decide to make your focus it up to you, just give yourself something to focus on so you can see and feel your progress.

2) Follow the 80/20 Rule – Nobody is perfect but make sure that 80 percent of what you eat is healthy, lean, and fresh (fruits vegetables, protein, etc.) The other 20 can be a bit more lenient, but should not 20% chocolate, pizza or other junk! Use moderation and be conscious that what you eat will be tied to your training and your results.

3) Train Consistently – Focus on exercising 5-6 days per week for 45-60 minutes during that two weeks. Be sure you are choosing a workout that is appropriate for your level of fitness yet pushes you. Some of the best results for at home workouts come from Beachbody Programs. You may want to check them out. Regardless of what you choose whether it is walking, running, or strength training be sure to push hard enough that you are fatigued when you complete your workout and be consistent.

The Halloween Fitness Challenge will help you to build up great habits and resistance. When you are faced with a challenge of the sweets on Halloween, you may be able to handle it because you won’t want to give up the results from the past two weeks. Build up your resistance and build up your results! Are you ready for results? Happy Halloween!

http://www.fitsolutionsblog.com/halloween-fitness-challenge/#!35

Staying On Track with Your Fitness Plans

Most people when they set their minds to it they can add fitness and exercise to their lifestyle pretty easily. It is the sticking to it and keeping it in their life that for many becomes tricky. Staying on Track with Your Fitness Plans is vital to your health, weight management, and more.

Staying On Track with Your Fitness Plans

1. Schedule your Exercise: Now scheduling your exercise is one thing, but making it a non-negotiable appointment is where the success comes from. There’s an old Spanish saying: “A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools.” This is so true. Put your exercise in your calendar. Don’t allow anything or anyone to change this very important appointment. This along can help withStaying on Track with Your Fitness Plans.

2. When Scheduling, Specify the Days and Times: Be specific with the days and times. It is recommended that you work out 5-6 days per week for 30-45 minutes. Be sure to choose a time that’s right for you. If you are one who cannot schedule the same days and times each week, be sure you are setting up your workout schedule every Sunday night. Some people may like to get up for a 5 a.m. workout, but if your body prefers 5 p.m., make your exercise time 5 p.m. It is what makes you feel the best and works for your schedule and your body.

3. Integrate It into Your Day: When scheduling if you notice there is no time on a specific day you’re your workout, then you need to integrate your fitness. On crazy days you can integrate your fitness by blending moments of exercise into your daily schedule. Park on the far side of parking lots, Use the stairs instead of taking elevators, do 10 squats every hour, and walk around while you talk on the phone. These are just a few ways to get exercise in on a busy day. If you have and extra five minutes, be sure to get moving! Remember that on average 2,000 steps adds up to a 100-calorie burn, which over a year, can add up to 10 pounds lost.

4. Use the “buddy system”: Social support has been proven to increase your chance of results and maintaining results by 80%. Plus, it makes exercise a lot more fun. Join an accountability group either in person or online. Having that peer support and having to check in can make all the difference. You could also join or arrange walking groups, tennis games, nights out dancing, or a basketball team. Being a part of a group whether in person or online is a great way to meet new friends, enjoy current friends and have the accountability to get your workouts done and stay on track with nutrition.

5. Set Goals: When setting goals, you want to make sure they are concrete and near-term. (Example: “I want to lose 5 pounds,” not “I want to lose 100 pounds”). Other ways to set goals can be to sign up for a 5K or 10K. For many, working toward such a goal is very motivating. It’s great to see and feel progress and creating daily, weekly, and monthly goals is a great way to keep on track. Having an accountability coach can really help you develop and reach your goals.

6. Make Exercise Fun: The best exercise is exercise you enjoy. Ask yourself: “What activities are fun to me?” Chances are there are activities that involve movement that you like. Some examples may be hiking, playing soccer with your children or grandchildren, dancing, golfing (without a golf cart), or volleyball, just to name a few.

7. Make it Easy to Start Each Day: At 5 a.m., you don’t want to be digging around trying to find your gym shorts. The night before be sure to lay out your gear, or if you exercise later in the day, pack your gym bag the night before. Either way this is a fool proof way to eliminate a major stumbling block.

Also, always know your workout calendar, and what workout you are doing the next day. In the same vein, if your workout is to be done outside be sure to have an alternate exercise routine set up in case you wake up to stormy weather. Plans = Success!

8. Turn On Your Soul: Make exercise a “dose of faith”! Bring it to your life like something you can’t imagine living without. To get that deep with its importance to your health and life you must clarify your values. Ask yourself: “What do I value about myself and my future? What do I really look forward to?” What are all the things that exercise will always improve in my life? Think of all the questions that you can gain clarity and there’s an excellent chance that whatever you value and desire can in part be achieved through a healthy lifestyle of daily exercise and healthy nutrition.

Staying On Track with Your Fitness Plans

So lace up those your shoes because Staying On Track with Your Fitness Plans will become a tribute to your heart and life, because that’s exactly what a healthy lifestyle does!

http://www.fitsolutionsblog.com/staying-on-track-with-your-fitness-plans/#!35

[Eddie's recipe of the week] Peach, Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad

Peach, Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad

Why not have an amazing salad every day for lunch? There are so many options. In the Peach, Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad the sweet, fresh peaches are the star of the show. They pair perfectly with the prosciutto, goat cheese, and balsamic vinegar.

Make this recipe an even bigger favorite when you grill the peaches first to give them that extra flavor punch. That is what is great about the Peach, Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad… You can do the Peaches fresh as is, grill them, slice them or dice them. Same with the prosciutto. You can slice it up cold on the salad or throw it in a pan and cook it up nice and crispy. So many options!

Peach, Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad

Total Time: 10 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 4 servings

Peach, Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad

Ingredients:
8 cups arugula
2 medium ripe peaches, sliced (see directions below for grilling)
1 oz. Goat Cheese
8 oz. of Prosciutto (chopped or sliced)
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Preparation:
1. Place two cups of arugula on four plates.
2. Split the peaches and goat cheese evenly among the four plates.
3. Place the oil and vinegar in a container and shake vigorously. Drizzle evenly over each salad.
4. Serve immediately.

Grilling Peaches: Slice peaches in half and remove the pit, brush the cut side lightly with olive oil and place cut-side down on a grill for a few minutes, just long enough to leave grill marks. Cool slightly, slice, and serve!

Make your next lunch an amazing lunch with the Peach, Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad.

http://www.fitsolutionsblog.com/peach-prosciutto-and-goat-cheese-arugula-salad/#!35

Riding a Bike Can Help You Hit Your Goals

Riding a Bike Can Help You Hit Your Goals! Cycling can be a big benefit when it comes to chiseling your legs and firming your glutes. Cycling is one of the best ways to burn calories, and burn them rather quickly. There are so many benefits that cycling can bring to your body and brain, which is what is important to truly having a healthy lifestyle. True health is having a healthy body and being healthy mentally and emotionally.

So strap on your helmet and pull on your padded bike shorts so Riding a Bike Can Help You Hit Your Goals!

Riding a Bike Can Help You Hit Your Goals

When we talk about riding a bike, we are talking about getting outside. Getting back in the saddle, and pushing yourself out on the road. Yes, bike classes are great but you don’t burn as many calories as you could. Why not put on your headphones and get your music is cranking and hit the same RPE (rate of perceived exertion) in the great outdoors. You will burn more calories, get some good vitamin D, and fresh air.

Research has also shown people are more apt to add and keep cycling in their fitness regimen than indoor cycling. They believe this is due to the cooling effects of wind, the fact you can choose to coast back down a hill after climbing one, and that we are simply being distracted by the sights of being outdoors.

Whether you decide to ride on a trail or the open road biking is something you will want to add to your fitness regimen. Besides hitting your fitness goals, there are many other benefits cycling has on your body.

Increased Bone Density: Running has been touted as a bone-building cardio workout due to the impact your body has on the pavement. But recent research has shown that mountain biking also aids in building a stronger skeleton. The European Journal of Sport Science found that mountain bikers had stronger, larger, and denser radial bones than both road bikers and non-cyclists. Scientists believe the differences in terrain and the constant need for self-stabilization is what leads to this improved bone density.

Greater Flexibility: Flexibility isn’t something that one would think would be a benefit of Cycling, but riding on two wheels may help to lengthen your hamstrings (muscles on the back of the upper legs). The forward position that one has when riding stretches the back of the legs. In fact, a recent study in the International Journal of Sports Medicine found that road cyclists did better in the sit and reach flexibility test non-cyclists.

Unlock Mental Brain Power: Cycling may help you unlock your mental superpowers. A recent Scandinavian Research Study, found that kids who biked to school had an easier time doing math and other analytical thinking. It was also found that those who cycled for 30 minutes or more had more saturation of the pre-frontal cortex with oxygen, which improved cognitive performance and quicker brain function.

Lower Your BMI: Most exercise can be effective for weight loss, but cycling 5-6 rides per week with purpose can really enhance your progress. With purpose means you are riding at 13 mph or faster for a minimum of 30 minutes. One way to add cycling with a purpose could be commuting to work, as this is an easy way to build exercise into your day.

Riding a Bike Can Help You Hit Your Goals

Of course adding biking isn’t going to automatically change your ability to hit your goals. One of the most important concepts for weight loss and maintenance is sustaining a behavioral change (New Habit). Reverting to old behaviors brings back the weight. If you add cycling or any other fitness concept to your daily life it needs to be a life habit and behavioral change that you keep as a part of your healthy lifestyle.

Riding a Bike Can Help You Hit Hour Goals, and might inspire you to spend more time exercising overall. So put on your helmet and bike shorts, and hop on the saddle!

http://www.fitsolutionsblog.com/riding-a-bike-can-help-you-hit-your-goals/#!35