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(You can also read this article on the Courior and Press Website- http://www.courierpress.com/news/2008/apr/21/let-summer-clothes-serve-as-incentive/) 

It’s that wonderful time of year when we all sit back with a smile at the return of green grass, flowering trees and birds chirping and we seem to have a little more “oomph” in our step. That is, until we start to see the swimsuits, shorts and summer clothing popping up in the stores.

For many, the thought of standing in a bathing suit in front of a full-length mirror sends shivers down the spine.

I always think of springtime as a wake-up call for the healthy mind-set. Like many warm-blooded mammals, you’ve taken comfort behind your big warm sweaters and jackets for the last several months. What you didn’t think about was that by indulging in your favorite cold weather comfort foods, you have stored up some warm layers of your own. Now when you peel away those sweaters — Bam! — you’re waking up on the floor in the dressing room, having fainted at the sight of yourself in a swimsuit.

Good news: It’s early spring and we have a good month before we drag out the swimsuits and tank tops. If you start today — make a plan and stick to it — you can make significant progress by shedding a few pounds, improving your health and feeling a whole lot better as we enter the summer months.

Unfortunately, most of you think that to achieve this, a diet is in your future. Nonsense! I’m going to step on some toes here and say this with my head held high: Dieting is for lazy people who mean well but don’t want to make the effort to learn how to change their unhealthy behaviors.

Until we lose the quick-fix mentality, we will always yo-yo with our weight and have to “diet” every spring for the rest of our lives.

I could list about 100 things you could do to change your lifestyle, eat healthier and burn more calories. What I ask you to do right now is to make this the last spring that you have to be fearful of the smaller-clothing-coverage months ahead.

Do your healthy living homework, educate yourself on what healthy eating really means, and seek out a form of exercise that you enjoy instead of dieting a few pounds away only to gain them back (and then some) next winter.

You have the power to decide, and you have access to a wealth of knowledge via the Internet, magazines, books and local wellness professionals. You have the power to change your mind-set and lifestyle any time you want to. Now all you need to do is take action.

By summer you might just be admiring a healthier, happier and slimmer you in that mirror — one who plans on sticking around for good this time.

If you need help learning what food are healthy and how to make them teasty enough for your whole family to eat then check out… www.grocerytour.com

 Best of Health,

 Darlene

If you are anything like me, you are still scrambling to find last-minute gifts for the loved ones in your life. Why not go a little above and beyond and give them the gift of good health? I know it sounds a little corny, but compared to another sweater that they won’t wear or a CD they will just end up exchanging, this is something that will actually make a difference in their lives. I know you don’t have much time left for shopping so I have searched locally and on the web for the best healthy gifts that you can still get before December 24th (hurry most online orders are due today)!

Gift: Great Harvest Bread

One of my favorite and most inexpensive gifts to give (and receive) is a healthy and wholesome loaf from Great Harvest Bread. There are many great local bread companies but I love Great Harvest because they use freshly-milled whole grain wheat flour and they have some of the healthiest breads in town. I suggest you go with their gift pack which gives your recipient little cards that they redeem for 1 honey loaf, 1 loaf of their choice and a jumbo cookie, all for only $12.

Gift: a Subscription to a Healthy Magazine.

Some of my favorites are Cooking Light, Prevention, Shape, Fitness, Health and Men’s Health. Most will be around $12-18 for a year’s subscription and it really is a gift that gives all year long.

Gift: Gaiam Walk Fit Kit Pedometer

This little gem keeps track of daily steps and calories, plus it includes a stop watch and distance counter. Anyone trying to improve their health and stay more active will love this easy to use pedometer available at www.target.com for only $24.99.

Gift: CalorieSmart

I always say that weight loss is all about calories in and calories out. This portable, pocket sized, handheld device will take all the work out of monitoring your calories taken in from food and spent during exercise. It contains nutritional info for over 35,000 foods and even includes menu items from over 250 restaurants. Plus it allows you to enter your daily workouts so you know exactly where you stand at the end of the day. This is a wonderful tool that will certainly help take the headaches out of weight loss and food monitoring. $80 at www.amazon.com.

Gift: Local Lessons/Classes

I met a man the other day whose wife bought him a “Tennis in No Time” beginner’s tennis class from a local tennis club four years ago. He’s played tennis regularly ever since. Why not give your active loved one tennis lessons, golf lessons, a Yoga or Pilates class, dance lessons or a healthy cooking class? Sometimes something unexpected can end up being the best and most memorable gift. For ideas and types of classes available call local a Yoga studio, any of the local gyms, tennis or golf clubs or try looking up cooking lessons in the yellow pages.  

Gift: Reebok Adjustable Weights

These are great for the home exerciser. They are space-saving, adjustable hand weights with 5 settings from 2.5 to 12.5 pounds each dumbbell. No more buying 3 or 4 sets of different hand weights - all you need is this one set and you are ready for any workout. $61.99 at Target or look for them online.
 

This has been a tough week in the Nicholson household. Not only have Barry (my husband, marketing director, business partner and best friend) and I been bombarded with work launching my cool new healthy living quiz (www-dietplans.info) and free telewebinar: “The Unadulterated Truth About Losing Weight and Keeping It Off For Good: What Thin, Healthy People Know About Dieting That Yo-Yo Dieters Will Never Know” (take the quiz and you can set in on the webinar for free).

Ialso have 3 article deadlines for Friday, my son gets out of school early today and tomorrow, a parent teacher conference today, Spencer has drum lessons, an exercise class to teach tonight…Oh, and we have also had a sick kiddo in the house to boot. A 4 year old sick kiddo! Yikes!

Everything in me wants to throw cooking dinner and exercising down the drain BUT I know that’s not going to do anyone, any good if I do that, especially me. I get grumpy, feel sluggish, I beat my self up and I get much less done when I stop taking care of me. When I keep on track I get more accomplished with my work and writing, I’m a much less stressed out mom and it keeps my immune system up to fight off the crud going around the house.

Why am I telling you all this? BECAUSE LIFE’S CRAP HAPPENS…deal with it! This time of year, Halloween through New Years, we are just looking for reasons to skip workouts and pick up fast food for dinner. Don’t do it! Stay strong and get rid of that darn “stink’in think’in” that keeps you from finding solutions to life’s challenges. This “life crap” and time issue is the number one problem I see when clients struggle with living that healthy lifestyle I preach about so often. You need to find SOLUTIONS!

I had to get my booty into the gym at 5:30am this morning, I had to get yesterday’s workout in late in the evening and tomorrow it’s going to be a late afternoon jog. Dinner yesterday was a slow cooked crock pot meak that I put in early in the morning because I knew i wouldn’t have time when I got home and today it may have to be a rotisserie chicken I pick up from the store (breast only) and a salad. Planning and focus….that’s the key(s) to surviving the crazy weeks and the busy holiday season.

Don’t throw in the towel and give up when things get crazy…take action and stay focused on your goals. You’ll never reach them if you let everyday set backs get the best of you. If you need a bit more help, info and inspiration be sure to check out my site. www.lifechanginghealthysolutions.com.

I’m here for ya friend!

Best of Health,

Darlene

Sometimes we make all this being healthy and weight loss stuff much harder than it really is. We over-think it. Counting points, steps, carbs, protein and whatever else we can come up with.

I have a friend that says when you need to really think something through…”just break it down to the ridiculous”.

So, today let’s just start with the most basic concept. 

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Calories in….Calories Out
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I want you to do this for one reason, and one reason only. AWARENESS!

Most of you have no idea how many calories you take in, how many you burn off or how any you are supposed to have.

Calories give energy. The average woman burns about 2,000 calories per day, a man about 2,500. Now this is a basic count and is not for weight loss. Most people can lose weight if they keep their calories around 1500 per day BUT your best bet would be to have a doctor, dietician or nutritionist calculate what your caloric intake should be for weight loss. They would need to take into consideration your weight, height, medications, activity level and overall health.

You can calculate this for yourself if you go to my website www.lifechanginghealthysolutions.com and check out this article on Calculating Your Caloric Needs:

How Many Calories Do I Need To Lose Weight?
Now this number is to maintain your current weight. Obviously, in order to lose you need to take in fewer calories and/or burn off more calories.

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BURN, BABY, BURN
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Many people ask me how I find time to stay in such good shape, when I’m a busy business owner, speaker, writer, mom and instructor and whatever else I think of each week.

Well, yes, I do eat very healthfully. And I exercise around 5 days a week. But one of the things I think I do better than most is staying active all the time. Even though I write at a desk most days, I get up a lot. My office is downstairs and I am constantly walking up and down, all day long. I rarely sit and watch TV (except on Thursdays…Survivor Night!..love that show!) and when I do sit it’s not for long. Even on our TV night I stand and fold clothes while I watch.

I park at the back of parking lots, take the stairs and walk at a bit faster pace than most…just ask my kids they are always telling me I’m going too fast.

My point is I move - and so should you. Find ways to get moving more often and you will burn more doing everyday stuff. If you sit in front of the TV or sit and read all the time, you are not only going to miss out on lots of calories that could be burned off, but it slows your metabolism down too. So tape your show, get an audio recording of your book and get moving, will ya?

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A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE
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Calories IN

• 12 oz. cola- 150 calories
• 1 cup ice cream- 540 calories
• Pint of beer- 148 calories
• 1 glass sweet wine- 226 calories
• Premium Grilled Chicken Sandwich from McDonalds- 420 calories
• 2- 1oz slices of cheddar cheese – 226 calories
• 2 oz potato chips- approx. 300 calories
• 3 oz steak- 230 calories….5oz – 470
• 1 Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit (McD’s) – 450 calories

Calories OUT (keep in mind this is non-stop for one hour calorie counts)

• Sexual intimacy 108 per hour (could be more or less…sort of depends?)

• Cleaning house, doing laundry, scrubbing tubs, going up and down stairs, cleaning refrigerator, picking up clothes (doing a lot of squatting down, bending over and picking up)  130 cal/hour

• Weeding a garden (stooping and bending), bagging up discarded weeds, pushing mower, carrying away bags of weeds and grass, breaking a sweat- 230 cal/hour

• Yoga, breaking a sweat – 230 cal/ hour (more for intense power or “hot” yoga)

• Light exercise, walking 2 1/2 miles per hour, sweating somewhat – 250 cal/hour

• Circuit Weight Training- moderate weights (8-12 reps so that the last few are difficult), moving quickly to each stations, 30 seconds rest between- 540 per hour

• Exercising using an Elliptical or Rowing Machine (staying in your target heart rate for 20-30 minutes)-  850 calories/ hour

So you can see how this can add up…in your favor or against you? The key is being aware. Knowing how much you are taking in and burning off. Keeping a food and activity log will help keep you “in the know” and on track.

Oh, and if you want to burn an extra 90 calories go grocery shopping! But before you do, check out my Healthy Grocery Store program…it will ensure you not only burn off some calories but learn how to control the one’s coming in!

www.healthygrocerystoretour.com

Best of Health,

Darlene

P.S. Quick ways to save yourself some calories…drink more water instead of cola, juices or other high calorie drinks. Skip the ice cream and try a little low-fat frozen yogurt, skip the beef and try more lean chicken and fish.

You can do it! And I’m always here to help! Check out my site for lots of great tools and tips.

It happens to all of us…You are doing well, exercising and eating healthier then BAM…you stop losing weight. A few days go by and that scale isn’t budging…few more days nothing! Then, in some cases, you see the scale creep back up! WHATTHEHECK!

This must be one of the most frustrating things for people who are trying to lose. You feel you’re doing all the work but not seeing the results anymore.

If I had a dollar for every time a client said “Something isn’t right… I haven’t lost a single pound today. This exercise and diet thing doesn’t work”. Everyone wants results overnight. Did you gain that extra 20, 30 or 60 pounds in a couple of weeks? Well, why do you expect to lose it that quickly?

Geeeze, if it were only that easy.

Plateaus are when you are eating well, exercising regularly…basically doing all the stuff you are supposed to do and you stop losing. It’s like you hit a weight loss wall. What do you do? How do you get your body to kick start into weight loss mode again?

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NASA We Have A Problem
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The good news is that you can fix this stubborn scale issue. The bad news is you’re gonna have to step up your game!

There are basically 3 things you need to do:

1) Get REAL. You need to take a real and honest look at what you are eating and what you are doing. FOOD LOG! If you have truly been doing a good job controlling calories, controlling fat as well as exercising, as you should, then your food log will show it.
If you have been fudging here and there it will show that too. When you see it in writing you’ll get a whole new perspective…I promise.

If you haven’t strayed and you think your log looks as good (you may need to have a professional look to make sure) then it may be time to cut back some calories or up (or change) your exercise routine. As the body progresses, its needs change and you need to move your plan forward also.

If all you have ever done for exercise is walk, it may be time to mix it up with swimming, biking, exercise classes or just add faster sprints or intervals to your walk to make it a bit harder. Same thing with your diet. Mix it up, try new foods or cut back on processed stuff or things that have “snuck” into your eating plan..

2) Real Labels. Food logging will also help you determine if the foods you are eating are really healthy for you because it forces you to look at the labels. Sometimes foods that say they are low in fat, low in carbs aren’t necessarily low in calories. So, food logging doesn’t mean just writing down the name of what you are eating. It also means adding up the days total calories, fat, fiber, protein and carbs.

I give the recommended amounts that you should have of each of these in my Healthy Grocery Store Tour Manual. Check it out at www.healthygrocerystoretour.com.

3) Ignore the people who are trying to convince you that your plateau means your plan isn’t working and your efforts are in vain. Many people hit plateaus early, especially when they’re first starting a weight loss plan (or lifestyle change as I like to say). Don’t let people say that all you have lost is water weight and that what you’re doing isn’t working.

That’s bunk.

Yes, it is common for some to lose several pounds right off the bat and then stop losing. If you are one of these types of “losers” keep at it, keep eating clean and keep exercising. It may take a little time, but your body needs to see that consistency in what you are doing. Yes, you may have lost the initial several pounds from a bit of water shed if you lowered your sodium and processed foods, BUT keep it up so you can see more loss.

3) Make sure you are eating enough! I know that sounds strange but many people can’t get away from the “diet mentality” of deprivation eating. If you take in too little calories your body goes into defense mode and stores extra fat in order to protect itself. You need adequate calories (and good healthy fats) in order to lose weight. Know what number is right for you to lose.

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No One Ever Gets Anywhere
By Quitting…Stay Strong
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Plateaus are inevitable! They happen to all of us. It just means that you need to stand firm on what you know is right and then take the steps to up your game in order to start seeing some results.

Healthy eating is key. Exercise is equally important. And motivation is the glue that holds the whole darn thing together.

Well, I have come out with a system that covers all those bases. It’s NOT a diet! It’s a tool to help you achieve better health, weight loss success and a healthier overall lifestyle. My Healthy Grocery Store Tour has it all.

You get the specifics on what to eat, what to say away from, and most importantly how to cook it so it tastes good.

You also get a 4 Week Quick Start Exercise Plan that will show you what types of exercise to do and how often to do it. It’s great for the beginner or those already exercising because it starts you off slow but also gives more advanced modification.

And to keep you focused and motivated, I give you 2 months of my get Life-Changing Healthy Solutions Newsletter. It comes to your mailbox every month with a great audio CD and is packed full of information and motivating tips and topics.

Get all the details of this limited time Special Offer at www.healthygrocerystoretour.com.

Don’t get flustered when you hit a plateau…instead, arm yourself with the take-action knowledge and techniques I provide in my Healthy Grocery Store Tour Special Offer.

Best of Health,

Darlene

P.S. Oh, one other thing about Plateaus. Don’t judge everything off the scale weight. Sometimes we worship that scale a little too much and it messes with us mentally. Many times you will stop losing scale weight but you are still losing inches all over your body. So, measure as well as weigh!