Healthy Living Tip #1

 Eat Breakfast Every Morning

Breakfast eaters are champions of good health. Research shows people who have a morning meal tend to take in more vitamins and minerals, and less fat and cholesterol. The result is often a leaner body, lower cholesterol count, and less chance of overeating.

"That one act [of eating breakfast] seems to make a difference in people's overall weight," says Melinda Johnson, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association (ADA). She says breakfast can hold off hunger pangs until lunchtime and make high-calorie vending machine options less enticing.

Not only that, researchers at the 2003 American Heart Association conference reported that breakfast eaters are significantly less likely to be obese and get diabetes compared with nonbreakfast eaters.

Another study in the International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition showed that people who consumed breakfast cereal every day reported feeling better both physically and mentally than those who rarely ate cereal in the morning.

For kids, breakfast appears to enhance alertness, attention, and performance on standardized achievement tests, reports the ADA.

To get the full benefits of breakfast, the Mayo Clinic recommends a meal with carbohydrates, protein, and a small amount of fat. They say that because no single food gives you all of the nutrients you need, eating a variety of foods is essential to good health.

Yet, even with so much scientific support that breakfast does the body good; many people still make excuses not to eat in the morning. They include not having enough time and not feeling hungry. For these people, Johnson suggests tailoring breakfast to the day.

**Tips taken from http://www.webmd.com/**

So how do you make time for breakfast?  PLAN AHEAD 
I normally eat an egg and slice of cheese on a sandwich round or bagel thin along with some fruit.  This is very filling.  I have found that cereals do not keep me full.  Sometimes, I will just have some Shakeology for breakfast instead of lunch.

SO WHAT DO YOU EAT FOR BREAKFAST? 

Summer Slimdown Challenge

Summer Slimdown Challenge Information

Dates: March 28-June 20, 2011

Who can Participate? Anyone who wants to lose weight, lose inches, and be healthier and fit

This challenge is going to be approximately 90 days. You will need to decide beforehand if you are willing to make the commitment to do this.

The challenge is going to based on a POINT system.

The winner of the challenge will be the one with the MOST points. They will win their choice of a workout—RevAbs, Turbo Jam, 10 Minute Trainer, Brazil But Lift, Body Gospel, Hip Hop Abs, or Power 90

So how do you earn points? Here’s a breakdown…

1. Join the Summer Slimdown Challenge group on Facebook—earn 5 points

2. Check-in on the group page each Sunday evening with a quick report of the week-3 pts. (Or you can check in each night)

3. For every inch lost, earn 1 pt. (Measurements are to be done every month) (This info is confidential and won’t be shared)

4. For every pound lost, earn 1 pt. (Weight is to be taken every week) (This info is confidential and won’t be shared)

5. Exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes per day-earn 1 pt.

6. Eat healthy each day-earn 1 pt.

7. Join Beachbody either as a FREE Club Member or a Paid Club Member and earn 10 points.
Go to www.beachbodycoach.com/nataliewelch  Click JOIN. You will then see the options to join as a FREE member or a CLUB member (paid membership with access to meal plans and other support tools)
 
8. Get on Shakeology Home Direct through my website at www.beachbodycoach.com/nataliewelch or www.myshakeology.com/nataliewelch and earn 20 pts. Those who get on Shakeology HD will also receive a FREE Shakeology shirt from me. Orders placed this week, should be here by the week of March 28th. You will see more changes both inside and out if you use Shakeology!!!

9. Become a Beachbody Coach ordering Shakeology on HD—earn 50 pts. New Coaches on Shakeology HD will also receive the Shakeology shirt from me AND have their first month’s fee of $14.95 reimbursed to them by me. **Coaches get a 25% discount on ALL products. This is a great way to get Shakeology cheaper than customers.

The data you report will be based on the Honor System. We are all adults, so I hope everyone will be true and honest. The challenge is to help YOU become healthier while providing a group you can hold yourself accountable to. We are all here to support and encourage one another.

EXTRA INFORMATION:

WHY SHAKEOLOGY?
*It’s the most nutritious super-food meal replacement shake on the market today. It is fitness for your insides.

*As much as 90% of your weight loss results can be attributed to your diet. Shakeology will help normalize your weight, curb cravings, AND give you TONS of energy

*It is essential in your diet and workout plans. Consider getting Shakeology on autoship/home direct so you will get FREE shipping, a shaker cup, and 2 workouts.

*There is a 30-day “bottom of the bag” guarantee. Don’t like it? Send back the empty bag and get a refund.

MEASUREMENTS:
Participants must send me your starting weight and measurements (left/right upper arm, l/r upper thigh, waist, hips, chest) Be sure to measure in the same places each time. THIS INFORMATION IS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL AND WILL NOT BE SHARED.

Due dates for measurements are March 28, April 30, May 31, and June 20

EXERCISE TIPS:
I recommend 4-5 days of cardio, 2-3 days of strength training, and definitely incorporate stretching. If you need suggestions just ask. Beachbody has some GREAT workouts that you can choose from if you would like to know more.

NUTRITION TIPS:
*EAT CLEAN: lean meats, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
*If you eat from the top 2 tiers of Michi’s Ladder listed on Team Beachbody “Eat Smart” tab, you will have great success with your diet.
*Commit to eating CLEAN 6 days of the week, allowing yourself 1 cheat meal each week (1 meal, not 1 day)

*Here's the site for Michi's Ladder  
LET ME KNOW BY FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2011, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED AND I’LL SEND YOU A LINK TO THE GROUP.

Goodbye TENSION

The body doesn't need tension.  When your tense, it affects your heart.  We all need to learn how to unwind. Here are some tips to help:

1.  LAUGH OFTEN-Laughter reduces stress hormones, which attack your heart.  Laughter increases your load of "feel-good endorphins." 

***Did you know that children laugh more than 300x per day, while adults laugh only about 15x a day?

2.  EXERCISE MORE-Exercise makes your heart more efficient and lowers yoru heart rate in stressful situations.  A sudden spike in heart rate can rupture vulnerable plaque, leading to a heart attack.  Exercise also reduces artery inflammation, raised HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), and lowers blood pressure. 

**Did you know that you can do 15 minutes worth of some sort of exercising a couple times a day and still get benefits?  Start small then build up to 45 minute increments. 

3.  BREATHE DEEPLY-Under stress, blood pressure increases, muscles clench, and breathing gets short.  To soothe yourself, deepen your breathing, inhale through your nose (the stomach expands) and exhale through your mouth (the stomack slacks).  Make the exhalation twice as long as the inhalation.  Practice doing this in worry-free situations so you can rely on it when you feel frazzled.

**Did you know that you should allow one day a week for stretching and deep-breathing exercises, such as Yoga?  This allows the body to recover from any strenuous activity or stress you have been under during the week.

WHAT ARE SOME WAYS YOU EASE TENSION?  HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE?  SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS BELOW:

Do You have the Inner Drive to Make Changes??

This was a good article I read where physicians used motivational interviewing to help their patients slim down. You are more likely to lose weight and become healthier if you know the reasons YOU want to.  You have to do it for yourself, not to please others.  Here are some of the questions to ask yourself:

1.  What's my inspiration?  Your incentive to lose weight must have meaning and value to you.  This could be anything from getting off a certain medication or fitting into clothes you love to wear.  Experts say that's the only way you will take action and see lasting results. 

2.  How committed am I?  If you don't meet your goals, don't beat yourself up about it.  Take another look at what you are doing--or not doing.  Are there factors beyond your control?  Do you need new reasons to stay focused?  Even if you are discouraged because you are not seeing immediate physical results, such as weight loss, think about the other benefits, like the way you feel.  By continually updating your motives to go after your health goals, they become easier to accomplish.

3.  Do I have a plan?  If you are wanting to improve your nutrition, you need to do some research as to what good nutrition is.  Ask an expert, explore online, do some reading.  Beachbody has great meal plans that are available to Club Members.  If you are interested, ask me and I can show you how to become a Club Member.  After you have done your homework, then start small.  For example, if you are trying to avoid pasta, don't eliminate it altogether.  Wean yourself off by using smaller servings. This is the same for exercise.  Come up with a weekly plan.  Write it down as part of your daily schedule.  Stick to it.  Start small, develop the habit, and you will be more likely to stick with it. Succeeding at modest challenges is likely to imspire you to see what else you can do. Remember to reward yourself every now and then for your accomplishments.

If you need help, trying to get started or even continuing to make progress in whatever you have started, please let me know.  At the end of every day, these questions would be good to ask yourself.  I know personally, I'm constantly having to motivate myself.  It's so easy to get busy and sidetracked.  We are more productive in our jobs, with our family and friends, and in life itself when we are taking care of ourselves.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK? 

POST YOUR COMMENTS BELOW:

Visualization

 I read an interesting write-up about the power of visualization.

Visualization is the ability to change your physical future life simply by using your MIND.

Did you know?

• For 35 years, people have used visualization to help cure cancer? (In fact, it's so effective, many cancer centers now have dedicated visualization facilities.)
• Visualization is effective in lowering blood pressure, reducing cholesterol, decreasing stress levels, and even saving people's lives?
• Visualization played a significant role in most every major discovery and invention since the beginning of time? (It's the world's oldest achievement tool by centuries!)

Visualization can help you in so many ways!!! Whether it's finding your ideal career, getting that promotion you've been wanting, losing those extra pounds, dropping a bad habit, repairing a strained relationship, or simply improving your golf game - you've tried to make the necessary changes to improve your life.

Visualizing can have a great impact on your life.  In fact, just 10 minutes a day for 10 days produces noticeable life-changing results!


Learning to spend just a few minutes a day visualizing can...

• begins to dramatically improve your health
• begins to substantially increase your wealth, and
• begins to erase years of bad or unhealthy habits.

This is something I'm going to definitely start learning more about.  We all know the mind is so powerful, so I am anxious to start learning more about visualization.

The Gift of Life

Just thought I would share these thoughts...
Our family has been through a lot over the years. So many challenges we have faced since Day One.... being young parents, both of us getting college degrees while having 2 young babies who were both sick as newborns. Financial strains of unstable work conditions and going to school. Then the life-changing experience of losing a precious mother/grandmother unexpectantly at such a young age. Moving away from the place we grew up to try to start fresh, while still trying to take care of family members back home. Next, a 36-year old husband and father being diagnosed with head/neck cancer and going through an awful treatment that turned a very healthy man into a fragile human being. Praise God he is now healthy even though there are still side effects to deal with each and every day. The battles we now face in raising two teenagers in a completely distraught, yet very influential society. And now suddenly losing a healthy father/grandfather at a fairly young age. These are just of few of the major obstacles my crew has faced over the last 17 years. I know there will be many more challenges to face. Do we ever question WHY? Absolutely. That's human nature. Each and every obstacle we go through in life is part of God's major plan for us. He has a purpose for each and everything we go through, even though we don't usually see it immediately. Each obstacle we face and overcome, just allows our faith to grow and us to become stronger. Remember, if it doesn't kill you, it WILL make you stronger. You will become a better person than you were before.

The life lessons I have learned and have been reminded of over and over these last 2 years are to appreciate everything and everyone in your life. Never take ANYTHING for granted. You need to live each and every day like it's your last. You never know when it can be taken from you. Spend your days with those you care about the most. Make each moment count. Don't sweat the small stuff. Worrying doesn't help--that's where your test of faith comes in. Take care of your body and mind. We have been given this precious thing called life and it's up to us to make the most out of it. Enjoy the small things, spread love, share the faith, do things to help others. Get over yourself and make a difference in the world. Think about others and the effect you have in their life. What is your purpose? Give thanks to God for allowing you to have the ability to breathe and have a chance at life each day. Life is truly precious and is a gift.