Set Your Fitness Boundaries
With self-imposed boundaries you can assure your success in anything...specifically with weight loss. Your fitness boundaries have to be self-imposed - no one is going to do it for you. Don't look at this as a bad thing! Self-imposed boundaries are self-empowering. Let's face it, you've been living life without fitness boundaries.
  • You eat whatever you want, whenever you want it.
  • You use any excuse to avoid exercise.
  • You indulge whenever it feels good.

Your Fitness Boundaries

It's time to introduce boundaries back into your life. These boundaries are the key to unleashing your ideal fit and healthy body.

1. Fitness Boundary One: What you eat
If you were to be perfectly honest with me, you could list off the foods that are unhealthy and fattening. So why are you still eating them? You know that refined, fried, processed and sugary foods are not good for you.

Place boundaries around what you will allow yourself to eat. Acceptable food items include whole foods, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean meats.

2. Fitness Boundary Two: How you exercise
I know that you're not an Olympic athlete, but that doesn't mean that you can simply pass on exercise. By now you are well aware of the host of benefits that exercise provides. With regular exercise you'll look great, feel amazing and have more energy than ever.

Place boundaries around how often you must exercise. Choose exercise that is challenging and fun - don't be afraid to try new activities that improve your strength and endurance.

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The Fried Food Disaster
I am often asked how to lose weight quickly and easily. Of course no one wants to listen to a lecture on the importance of healthy eating coupled with a solid exercise routine. That would preclude the quick and easy part. So in a world where two thirds of all adults are overweight or obese, and some doctors predict that we will soon see a generation with a lower life expectancy than their parents due to obesity related diseases, I've come up with a solution that is both quick and easy (drum roll, please...): Stop eating fried foods (gasp!).

Fried foods, despite having little to no nutritional value and being loaded with fat and calories, have become an accepted indulgence in our society. So accepted that many restaurants serve fries or chips alongside every meal. It's no wonder that fried foods are the number one thing that most people crave – they are salty, addictive and plentiful.

Are Fried Foods Really That Bad?

In a nutshell, yes, fried foods really are that bad for you. Take an average potato, bake it and you have 110 calories and 0 grams of fat. Take that same potato, turn it into french fries and you have 380 calories and 18 grams of fat. Frying food is the easiest way to dramatically increase the calorie and fat content. And you know that extra calories and fat end up as extra body fat.
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Summer Eating Tips
You know that portions are now larger than ever. Do you really need to eat all of that food? Of course you don't. It is time to release yourself from the obligation to eat every morsel on your plate. Start by always leaving one or two bites. Soon you will find that you naturally stop eating when you're full – even if your plate isn't empty. However, there are some things that you just can't get enough of....and this yummy summer treat is one of them!

Rainbow Kebabs
These fresh fruit kebabs are simple to prepare and make a stunning display. It's perfect to bring to a barbeque or to enjoy as a healthy dessert. The fruit selections below aren't set in stone – use any fruit that is fresh and colorful.

Yield: 10 servings

Here's what you need...

  • 10 wooden skewers
  • 10 strawberries
  • 10 bite-sized watermelon pieces
  • 10 bite-sized cantaloupe pieces
  • 10 bite-sized mango pieces
  • 10 bite-sized pineapple pieces
  • 10 bite-sized kiwi pieces
  • 10 blueberries
  • 10 blackberries

Put the chunks of fruit on each skewer in a rainbow pattern - red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple - place skewers on a platter and serve.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 60 calories, 0g fat, 15g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, and 1g protein.

 
Three Steps to Overcome Overeating
Let's face it, the extra pounds you're carrying around are due to overeating - plain and simple. Why do you overeat? Here are a few likely reasons:

  • Habit: Whether you realize it or not, you eat in a learned pattern, rather than out of need. You clean your plate because that's what your mother taught. You eat what is served without stopping to check if you are full. You butter two pieces of toast for breakfast rather than questioning if one piece would do the job.
  • Absentminded: You forget to pay attention when you eat. Mindless munching while watching a movie, snacking while driving, or picking at food while cooking - these absentminded calories really add up.
  • Something Deeper: Sometimes you use food for recreation or to change your mood. These calories may lend you a temporary sense of comfort or pleasure, but ultimately your body suffers from the indulgence.
Here are three steps to overcome overeating. Read these, and apply them to your life.

Step #1: Pay Attention

Be aware of what and how much you eat. This simple concept will save you from hundreds upon hundreds of calories each week. To apply this rule, don't eat while your attention is distracted by another activity. Only put food in your mouth when you are hungry and conscious of it. This means turn off the T.V., get out of your car, and no matter what you do, don't graze in the kitchen while cooking.
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Ready for Bathing Suit Season?

There's a good chance that you'll find yourself in a bathing suit sometime this month. If you are like most people then that realization will 1) bring a grimace to your face and 2) will motivate you to lose some weight. While I commend your desire to slim down before baring it all, I'm here to warn you of the 5 myths that most people fall for. Don't waste your time on these:

Myth #1: Starve the pounds away.
Attempting to lose weight by starving yourself is not only ineffective, it's also dangerous. It may seem that severe calorie restriction would deliver the quickest weight loss, but your body is complex and by doing so you'll disrupt your metabolism and slow your results.

Tip: Don't starve yourself - instead eat healthy small meals throughout the day.

Myth #2: Take diet pills to boost your effort.
It's so tempting! The commercials make compelling claims about the power of diet pills, but don't fall for it. The 'magic pill' has yet to be discovered (it has been discovered - exercise. It's just not in pill form…). Diet pills are more likely to damage your health and burn your pocketbook than to slim you down.

Tip: Don't pop a pill - instead burn calories with exercise.

Myth #3: Do extra crunches to flatten your abs.
We all want our midsection to look toned as we stroll down the beach, but excessive crunches aren't the answer for tight abs. In order to achieve a lean look you'll have to focus on burning off the layer of fat that is covering up your abs.

Tip: Don't obsess about crunches - instead focus on fat burning.

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