Not So Fun Fact of the Day: According to the American Heart Association,6000 deaths over the past decade can be directly attributed to the increased consumption of sugary beverages such as soda and fruit drinks.

Article of the Day: A Step-by-Step Guide to Mindful Nighttime Eating If you have trouble staying out of the kitchen at night, this article is for you!

We all get cravings every once in a while. In fact, according to Dr. Harvey Weingarten, Ph.D., the president of the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada 97% of women have felt cravings compared to just 68% of men. Dang those stupid hormones! The difference between hunger pangs and cravings is that when you are hungry you will eat anything, but when you have a craving, only a certain type of food will do. Craving seem to hit us out of nowhere, striking when we least expect it. Or do they? Research shows that cravings are actually very predictable.

Here are a couple of common times for cravings to strike:

The most common time to experience cravings is during the dreaded mid-afternoon slump (around 3-6pm). During this time of the day, our blood glucose drops, making us feel sluggish and craving a “lift.”

When we’re stressed out or bored. These bad moods often cause us to crave comfort foods that we believe will make us feel better. In a way they do, because carbohydrates and sweets increase the secretion of serotonin in the brain, which can improve mood, but only temporarily.

Before our “time of the month,” we often crave chocolate and carbohydrate rich food. Before their period, women often suffer from bad moods and mild depression. Overeating sweets and chocolate are probably the body’s attempt to raise serotonin levels.

Cravings can also hit when you are accustomed to eating a certain food at a certain place. For example, you may crave a hot dog at the ballpark, or pop corn at the movie theater. You associate these foods with a good time, so you crave them when you are in these situations.

How to fight cravings.....and WIN:



The number one way to curb cravings is to stop them before they start. Eat carbs, protein and a little fat at ever meal and snack. When you eat meals that are lacking in one type of nutrient, you are likely to crave that type of food later on. Proteins and fat take longer to digest, so they will keep you feeling full for longer. Same goes for fiber. Also, be sure to vary your diet. If you eat the same thing for breakfast lunch and dinner every day you can’t help but give in to cravings!

Eat protein for breakfast. It takes your body longer to digest and absorb and therefore keeps you feeling fuller longer. Remember that study by Purdue that said eating lean protein for breakfast keeps you fuller for longer than if you ate it later in the day? So whip up some scrambled eggs or an omelet for breakfast.

Don’t cut out fat completely. According to a study in the Journal Cell Metabolism, the unsaturated fat found in foods such as olive oil, nuts, and avocados can actually help to stomp out hunger. Be sure to watch your portions, unsaturated fats should make up about 20% of your total caloric intake.

Down a Grapefruit! I’m not suggesting we bring back the grapefruit diet, but according to Dr. Ken Fujioka, grapefruit lower your post meal insulin levels, which is the hormone that regulates blood sugar and fat metabolism.

Pop a piece of gum. Chewing a piece of sugar free gum can help keep the midmorning munchies away.

Allow yourself a cheat day. If you know that you will have an occasional cheat meal, it is easier to stay on track the rest of the time. It’s like a light at the end of the tunnel. I try my best to eat really healthy during the week, and then will allow a splurge or two on the weekend.

Lock temptation out in the cold. Don’t keep food that you crave in the house. Who can resist double stuffed oreos when they are staring you in the face??? Not me!

If you fall off the horse, get right back on. Don’t let slip ups get you down. If you give in to a craving it’s not the end of the world. Well unless you have the mentality of, “well if I already ate 5 oreos the rest of the day is shot so I mine as well just eat whatever I want!” No, no, no that is only going to add injury to insult. Enjoy those oreos and MOVE ON!

The water boy was right, H2O really is the best! Many times when we think we are hungry, or experience a craving, we are really just dehydrated. Aim to drink a small glass of water each hour to stay hydrated and keep your stomach full.

Just Wait. Real cravings will stay with you but psychological ones will not. If you know you have eaten enough, and you are well hydrated, try waiting 15-20 minutes to see if the craving will pass. Try distracting yourself by doing something else (paint your nails, play a video game, knit etc.).

Hit the gym. According to the American Journal of Physiology, 60 minutes of high-intensity cardio can reduce appetite for up to 2 hours after the workout is complete. Aerobic exercise also increases the amount of appetite-suppressing hormone in your body. Plus, you really can’t eat cake while running on the treadmill.

Keep healthy snacks on hand.

Don’t be a creature of habit. If you usually eat a snack every day at 3pm, make sure you aren’t just doing this out of habit. Check in with yourself and make sure you are actually hungry. Do you usually eat ice-cream while watching your favorite late night show? Toss out the ice cream and turn the kitchen lights off to symbolize that the kitchen has shut down for the night. Little changes can mean big rewards.

There is nothing we can do to completely prevent cravings from ever happening. But with a little preparation and an arsenal of craving destroying weapons we can fight the war against cravings and win…….well most of the time!



Let your voice be heard!
What do you crave most? And how do you fight the good fight against those cravings?

Yours truly,

Lauren G.

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Fun Fact of the Day: You burn 33% more calories doing supersets (back-to-back sets of two different exercises) compared with sets that let you rest between moves. (The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research)

Article of the Day: Build your Perfect Workout! This interactive tool helps you build a personalized weight workout! Click on the instructions tab first (in red), they explain how the tool works.

The weight room can be an intimidating place full of sweaty boys in cut up shirts grunting ridiculously loud as they throw around too much weight! Get the picture yet? Many women avoid the weight room like the plague for various reasons. 1) They are intimidated by all of the guys bench pressing 800 pounds 2) They are intimidated by the machines. How do you get that stinking seat to change heights anyways? 3) They just don’t know what the heck to do once they get in there!

With a vocabulary lesson on today’s weight room lingo, and a few pointers about what to do when you hit the weight room floor- everyone will be ready to pump iron next to Hulk Hogan.

Gym Lingo 101


Work in: To alternate sets with someone on a piece of equipment. When someone is using a machine, you can ask to “work in.” To do this you will use the machine while the other person rests and vice versa. This works best on machines with weight stacks because you can change the weight easily by moving the pin.

Super Setting: Doing two or three different exercises without resting between sets. (See Fun Fact of the Day above)

Circuit Training: Doing an entire “circuit” of exercises with little to no rest between sets, and then repeating the circuit. Circuits save you time and let you work one muscle while another one is recovering. Check out Lauren's Circuit Party.

Split routine: A strength program in which you work some muscle groups on one day and others another day. For example: Monday: biceps & triceps, Tuesday: chest, back and shoulders, Wednesday: Legs

Isolate: To single out a particular muscle group.

Hypertrophy: Simply, an increase in muscle size.

Recruitment: The portion of a muscle that’s stimulated during a particular exercise.

The 4 principles of Strength Training  

The Tension Principle: In order to develop strength, you must create tension within a muscle. This tension is created by resistance (dumbbells, resistance bands, or body weight).

The Overload Principle: In order to build strength, your muscles must work harder than they are used to. This “overload” results in increased strength, because the body must adapt to the stress placed upon it. To become stronger, you must regularly increase the tension or weight your muscles work against.

The Specificity of Training Principle: This principle refers to the fact, that only the muscles you train will see strength gains. For example, if you do triceps exercise three days a week, your triceps will definitely get stronger, but triceps extensions will have no effect on your other muscles (such as your quadriceps). This is why it is so important to train every muscle in the body.

The Detraining Principle: This principle is a little depressing. If you stop strength training regularly, you will eventually lose the strength you worked so hard to achieve. Without regular exercise, muscles will start to weaken in two weeks or less!

Quick tips to get the most out of your strength training routine:

Always warm up for 5-10 minutes prior to strength training.

Always use proper form. Start with light weights so you can perfect your form before increasing your weight.

Always cool down for at least 5-10 minutes after your workout.

Make sure you change up your program so you avoid boredom and plateaus. Try to change your program every 6-8 weeks to keep your body guessing and seeing results.

Drink water before, during and after exercise.

If you are a beginner, start with machines. They will help you learn proper form and usually have pictures on them with detailed instructions.

Once you advance, switch to free weights. Since they are “free” you have to be very careful about maintaining good form! This is where the mirrors in front of the dumbbells come in (and you thought it was just so “The Situation” could check himself out).

Remember to breathe. Don’t hold your breath while you are lifting weights. Exhale during the hardest part of the move. For example, if you are doing a squat, exhale on your way back up.

Lift like you mean it. If you are busting out 10-12 reps without feeling fatigued, it is time to up the poundage! Your last 1 to 2 reps should always feel tough, but doable. Don't cheat yourself by listing to lightly!

Balance your body. Do exercises for opposing muscle groups (ex: quadriceps and hamstrings). This will help prevent injuries and create a more balanced look.

Have a plan. Decide what exercises you are going to do and in what order before you even go into the gym. This will help you feel more confident and ensure a balanced workout!

Stay nice and steady. When you are using machines or free weights, only lift an amount you can control. Slamming around weights or dropping weight stacks are sure signs of a newbie!

Most Importantly…. Think Total Body: Even if your buns are the only thing motivating you to hit the gym, you can’t neglect the rest of your body! Spot reducing simply does not work! Total body workouts torch fat more effectively because they build lean muscle mass, which as we know burns more calories at rest!

Yours truly,

Lauren G.

Definitions compliments of Shape Magazine, Spark People, and Women's Health

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Quote of the day: "Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling." -Margrart Lee Runbeck

Article of the day: Check out these delicious skinny cocktails! Drinks under 200 calories.

Most of the time, alcohol and weight loss are enemies, but an occasional drink can definitely have a place in a healthy lifestyle. Cutting out alcohol completely would not only leave you feeling deprived, but make you miss out on some highly potent antioxidants as well! So everything is good in moderation.  First let’s take a look at the ways alcohol can be sabotaging your weight loss efforts, and then we will talk about ways to slim down your favorite cocktails! 


Why alcohol is (sometimes) the enemy:

Alcohol is metabolized differently than other food and beverages. Normally, the body receives energy when carbohydrates, fats and proteins are slowly digested in the stomach, but this is not true when alcohol is present. Alcohol trumps all other nutrients in the body because it does not have to be digested. Alcohol molecules simply diffuse through the stomach wall and can reach your brain and liver in mere minutes. When the alcohol arrives n your liver for processing, your liver focuses all of its attention on digesting the alcohol. Since the liver is distracted by the alcohol, it can not properly process the carbohydrates, fats and proteins leaving them to be permanently stored as body fat. Not Good!

Alcohol contains more calories per gram than carbohydrates and proteins. Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram (and offers no nutritional value) while carbohydrates and proteins contain 4 calories per gram. So you’re consuming more calories, but getting zero out of them.

Alcohol is a diuretic. Diuretics cause water loss and dehydration which also causes you to lose important minerals such as potassium, calcium and zinc. These nutrients are crucial for your body to maintain normal fluid balance, chemical reactions, and muscle contraction and relaxation.

Alcohol can make you forget your healthy eating habits! Unfortunately, alcohol actually stimulates your appetite. Most of the time, drinking the same amount of calories you would normally consume in a meal will not fill you up. Alcohol also lowers your inhibitions and willpower, which can cause you to eat things (like Whataburger, Taco Bell and Taco Cabana) that you would never dream of eating under normal circumstances!

Skipping a meal to save your calories for drinks will not help you in the long run! Not only will the alcohol absorb faster into your system, you will also be more likely to snack on unhealthy foods throughout the night. If you know you are going to be hitting the town with friends, it is a much better idea to add 30 extra minutes of cardio to balance out those extra calories.

So what is more important, the carbs or the calories in alcohol? Many people think that it is the carbs in alcohol that are the enemy. This myth causes many people to think liquor is a more diet-friendly drink. However, dieters need to watch calories as well, and liquor only has a few less calories than beer or wine. Another thing to be careful about, is what you mix with your liquor. Many mixed drinks contain a ton of sugar and added calories! For example, a 4 oz. whisky sour contains 200 calories and a 8oz long island iced tea contain over 400 calories! Ouch that one hurts just to type!

How to Slim Down your Cocktails!

Choose lower proof liquor. Lower Proof = Less calories. For example, 80 proof vodka has 65 calories an ounce while 100 proof liquor has around 80 calories an ounce.

Just say no to frozen drinks. Many restaurants serve ridiculously oversize frozen drinks that can contain more calories than your favorite dessert! Some frozen margaritas can have over 800 calories!

Avoid premade drink mixes. These are usually made of nothing but corn syrup, artificial flavors and sugar. Mix your own drinks with zero calorie mixers like diet sodas and water with lime.

Switch to soda water. If you like vodka or gin and tonic, you could save over 90 calories a drink by switching to soda water.

Swap your glass of wine for a wine spritzer. By diluting your wine with soda water or diet sprite you will save mega calories. A wine spritzer made with 3 ounces of wine and spritzer only contains 60 calories. My favorite drink is Sangria and  diet sprite loaded with real fruit!

Take a break every once in a while! Alternate between alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages to stay hydrated and cut back on calories.

Avoid fancy cocktails and martinis. These can be calorie bomb shells! If you can’t name all of the ingredients, don’t order it. These are often laced with sugar, syrup and other unnecessary garnishes.

The clearer the better. Stick with drinks you can see through. Many creamy martinis have twice as many calories as their see through counterparts due to the heavy cream in them.

Choose low-calorie or calorie free mixers.

• Zero Calorie mixers: diet soda, diet tonic, coffee or tea, sugar-free margarita mix, sugar-free sweet’n sour mix
• Low-cal mixers: light lemonade (5 cal.), Lemon or lime juice (10 cal.), Light cranberry juice 8oz (40 cal.), Light orange juice 8oz (85 cal.)

Check the table below for your drink of choice. Can you upgrade (or should it be downgrade) to a healthier choice??


Happy Mixing!

Lauren G.

P.S. Today marks day 1 of the 100 Push Up challenge!! Good Luck, and keep me posted on your success!!

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Quote of the day: "There are no short cuts to any place worth going." - Unknown

Article of the day: 5 Great Moves with the Resistance Band, The Ultimate Resistance Band Workout, and Get Fit on The Go.

Healthy Eating On Vacation

Conscious indulgences: Even though you are on vacation, still indulge consciously. If you have an ice cream sandwich as an afternoon snack, skip the key lime pie at dessert. You are on vacation, so you don't want to deprive yourself completely. But indulging every meal can make you come back from vacation with more than a few souvenirs.

Repeat after me... Alcohol has calories! Many people don't think about how many calories they consume a day from alcohol. If you have 4 light beers while at the beach that is 400 extra calories. That is about the same as a full meal! Make sure you are conscious of how many calories a day you are consuming from alcohol. If you have a couple of beers at the beach, skip the margarita at dinner (which cost you over 500 calories a piece).

Explore the local farmers market: Check with your hotel's front desk and find out where the local farmers market is located. Stock up on local produce and bring it back to your hotel. Now you have fresh fruit and veggies to snack on in your room (bye bye vending machine) and take with you when you go out and explore the city!

You don't always have to pack lightly: If you are not in danger of exceeding your suit case weight limit, save a little space to bring your favorite healthy snacks with you on vacation. Whenever I travel, I always bring packets of oatmeal with me for breakfast, Kashi granola bars and 100 calorie packs of almonds for on the go snacks, and dried fruit or 100 calorie pack kettle corn bags for a healthy late-night snack. When you have healthy options with you, you are better equipped to fight off the lure of unhealthy processed food!

Research, Research, Research: Google can be your best friend in the war against unhealthy restaurant foods! Most restaurants have their nutrition facts posted online. Check out the restaurants around your hotel before you leave. This way, when you get there you know what restaurants and dishes won't ruin your hard earned beach bod!

Don't be afraid to be picky: Whenever you go to a restaurant, don't be afraid to ask to make changes to your entree. Subbing fries for a side salad, cutting the bacon and cheese on a cobb salad, asking for dressing and sauces on the side, ordering grilled instead of fried chicken, swapping mayo for mustard, or ordering wheat bread instead of white bread can all make a big difference in the caloric and fat content of your meal! I'm so bad about changing entrees, I usually just tell the waiter or waitress before I order, "I'm sorry, but I'm probably going to be really annoying." They usually just laugh and say no problem. But hey, at least I warned them!

Working Out on Vacation

Vacation in a Fitness Friendly City: Shape Magazine rated the top 10 Fittest Cities in the U.S. Check out if your city made the list: 1) Washington D.C. 2) Boston 3) Minneapolis/St. Paul 4) Seattle 5) Portland, Oregon 6) Denver 7) Sacramento, California 8) San Francisco 9) Hartford, Connecticut 10) Austin, Texas (Yes! At least one Texas City made the list!) Researchers at the American College of Sports Medicine evaluated the 50 largest metropolitan areas looking at factors such as personal health indicators, rates of chronic health concerns, and community and environmental issues (such as number and size of city parks, farmers markets, pools, and Rec Centers).

Make a fitness center a requirement: Whenever I research hotels, I always check out the fitness center. Cardio equipment...check, free weights... check, cute foreign gym assistant...check! (just kidding on the last one) Make sure the fitness center is well equipped and inviting. Anyone can spare 45 minutes a day to hit the gym, even if you are on vacation!

Look for fun outdoor activities around your hotel: Think outside the box when you are planning your vacation activities. Does your hotel have kayaks you can rent, or group exercise classes you can take? When we went on our honeymoon, the resort actually offered two spin classes and one yoga class every day. It was fun to take a class from a brand new instructor. Going to a big city? Check to see if your hotel provides jogging maps or walking routes? On the beach, go for a jog in the sand! At a ski resort, try cross country skiing one day (it's a killer workout). Hiking is a great way to explore the great outdoors, burn calories, and tone your lower half all at the same time.

Take a walking or biking tour: Many cities offer walking or biking tours as an alternative to the traditional bus tour of the city. You will get to experience the city up close and personal. Walking and biking will let you explore the city at your own pace and see it from a local’s perspective. How much can you really take in from the top of a bus going 40 mph anyways?

Bring the gym with you: If you do end up at a hotel without a gym, have no fear you can take the gym with you on vacation! Resistance bands are light, portable and easy to pack. You can do a total body resistance workout using just the bands! It really is the frequent travelers’ best friend. Check out the articles of the day, for a total body resistance band workout!

Remember you are on VACATION: Don't forget this is a vacation. It is suppose to be relaxing and enjoyable. Don't beat yourself up if you skip a workout!

Yours truly,

Lauren G.

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Quote of the day: "Energy and persistence conquer all things." - Benjamin Franklin

Article of the day: Since Eric and I are leaving for a weekend trip today, I have been thinking about what I am going to eat while we're gone. I can't exactly take my egg beaters with me. So when I came across this article, I thought it was perfect! 20 Best Restaurant Foods in America

Push ups are as old as exercise itself. Think about it, people have been doing push-ups since the beginning of time. They are literally the perfect total body toner. They strengthen your shoulders, triceps, chest and glutes while strengthening your entire core all at one time! Working all of these muscles at once burns mega calories and can even help give the girls a little lift. The other great thing about push-ups is that there is absolutely no equipment required. You can do push ups anywhere, anytime.  This sound almost too good to be true! Yet every time I tell my class to get down on the floor and get ready to “push,” I brace myself for the groans that are certain to follow!!

Have you ever heard of the 100 push up challenge? It is a website that promises if you follow their training program you will be able to do 100 consecutive push ups by the end of 6 weeks! I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a challenge I just can’t turn down!! There is an initial test you complete to see which program you should follow. They have a beginner, intermediate and advanced program. The beginner program starts you out with sets of 2-3 push ups, so really anyone could do this workout. According to the website, you will only need to dedicate around 30 minutes a week to achieve this goal. Come on, who doesn’t have 30 minutes a week to dedicate to improving their fitness and hopefully getting Madonna arms (well at least Madonnaish arms).

Check it out: One Hundred PushUps

I have decided to take the challenge, and will start my program on Monday. I wanted to tell everyone about this today so 1) I couldn’t chicken out and 2) you have time to think about joining me over the weekend!

So who’s in? Who knows, maybe next we can take the 25 pull ups challenge. It is my lifelong goal to do 5 pull ups in a row unassisted. If I did 25, I would just die from excitement! I hope you will join me on this quest to show all women push ups aren’t just for boys anymore!

Yours truly,

Lauren G.

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Quote of the day: "Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but doesn't get you anywhere." - Anonymous (I need to tatoo this one to my forehead!)

Articles of the day: What to Eat Before You Workout, and What to Eat After You Workout Check out these articles to find out what your body needs pre and post sweat session!

When many of us think of working out, we think of sweating it out on our favorite piece of cardio equipment (mine is the stairmill), running, or going to an aerobics class. However, there is another component of fitness that is just as import as cardio, and that is strength training. Strength training is crucial, especially for women, who start to lose muscle mass rapidly as we age. Now, if you are thinking to yourself right now, “but Lauren, I don’t want to bulk up and look like a man,” I assure you that will not happen. Women simply do not have enough testosterone in our bodies to build large bulky muscles. Pheww!

Adding strength training to your workout routine does not mean doubling the amount of time you have to spend in the gym. I used to think, “I only have an hour to workout, I have to do cardio so I can burn as many calories as possible!” However, by including strength training in your routine, you will increase your lean muscle mass and therefore burn more calories at rest! Circuit training is a great alternative to traditional strength training. During circuit training you move quickly from one exercise to the next, keeping rest to a minimum. By lifting this way, you keep your heart rate elevated and burn more calories. To torch major calories during your lifting session, add in some high intensity interval drills like jump rope or plyometric box jumps! If you are currently doing cardio five days a week try swapping two cardio days for a total body circuit workout. You will still burn calories and start to sculpt a leaner, stronger physique! Below, is my favorite circuit workout. All you need is dumbells, a stability ball, and a jump rope. Have Fun!

Group 1:

• Squats (feet hip distance apart) holding dumbbells in your hands (8-15 pounds) 10-12 reps
• Stability ball pushups- roll out on stability ball so your shins or feet are on the ball and do 8-12 pushups
• Stability ball bridge with hamstring curl (lying on the ground with your heels on the ball, lift your hips off the ground, then roll the ball towards you bringing your glutes to your heels
• Jump Rope 45sec - 1min

Group 2:

• Narrow squat with an overhead shoulder press (7-10 lbs) 10-12 reps
• Bicep curls, for an added challenge stand on one leg (7-10lbs) 10-12 reps
• Front shoulder raises, bring weight straight out in front of you level with your shoulder, then lower it back down (5-10lbs) 10-12 reps
• Jump Rope 45sec - 1min

• One arm row (10-15lbs) 10-12 reps (Challenge: place left hand on stability ball with left foot forward, lift the right leg off the ground and back behind you so you have to balance as you row)
• Triceps kickback (5-10lbs.) 10-12reps on each arm, do one arm at a time with free hand on stability ball
• Walking lunges (10-15lbs) hold the dumbbells in your hand and do 12-15 lunges on each leg
• Jump Rope 45sec - 1min 

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Quote of the day: "Yoga is invigoration in relaxation. Freedom in routine. Confidence through self control. Energy within and energy without." - Ymber Delecto



Articles of the day:
Slim down with Yoga brought to you by Prevention Magazine. 
Yoga Moves for a Pick-Me-Up, and my favorite Burn, Baby Burn by Women's Health Magazine



We all know that yoga is good for the mind, body and spirit, but can it really help us lose weight? Some experts think that it can! First, let’s talk about all of the well known benefits of yoga, besides weight loss.

According to WebMD, Yoga can help you:

• Increase Flexibility
• Improve Muscle Tone (especially ashtanga and power yoga)
• Improve Posture
• Increase lung capacity
• Decrease stress levels
• Improve focus and mood
• Decrease symptoms of asthma, back pain, insomnia and arthritis

All of these alone make yoga worth adding to your fitness routine, but how does it help you lose weight? Yoga can actually lower the levels of stress hormones in your body and increase insulin sensitivity. When your body is more sensitive to insulin, it can better burn food as fuel rather than store it as fat. These two factors can help turn your body into a fat burning machine instead of a fat storing machine!

Yoga can also help you connect to your body in a way no other form of exercise can. Through this mind body connection you become better able to recognize hunger and fullness cues.  This is often called mindfulness or mindful eating. Since yoga also gives you an outlet for stress it can help prevent emotional eating. If you are more mindful of what you are eating, you are more likely to only eat when you are really hungry and stop when you are full.

A fairly new phenomenon in the yoga world is, “Power Yoga.” It is an Americanized, pumped up version of traditional Kundalini techniques. Power yoga combines faster breathing and more active movements that produce aerobic and strength training benefits.  These classes can definitely help you build lean muscle mass; which burns calories even when you are at rest. It’s not quite the same as pumping iron in the gym, but there is no doubt that plank, crocodile (chaturanaga) and crescent lunge all have muscle toning capabilities!

Yoga will never burn as many calories as traditional aerobics.  A 150 pound person will burn approximately 150 calories during a traditional yoga class, versus 311 calories for an hour of walking at 3mph. (Prevention Magazine) However, there is no doubt yoga can improve your flexibility, strengthen your muscles (especially your core) and help you connect with your body. It doesn’t matter if you are trying to lose weight, train for a marathon, or just live a healthy life; yoga can be a rewarding and rejuvenating part of your weekly fitness routine.

Please try out some of the workouts listed in the "Articles of the Week" section above. They are perfect  to do on your own in the comfort of your living room. Or even better, find a yoga class at a gym near you and give it a try! If you do, let me know what you think!

Yours truly,

Lauren G.

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Quote of the day: "People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily." -Zig Zigler

Article of the day: click, print, and hit the pool! Swimming is the perfect summer workout to get you fit in no time! http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/swimmers-workout

According to the food guide pyramid, carbohydrates should make up the biggest percentage of our daily nutritional intake (45%-64%). However, the low carb/no carb craze has given carbohydrates a bad reputation. They are like the leper of the food world, with no one wanting to come within a ten foot radius of them! But is that completely necessary? Are we all forever doomed to have to skip over the rolls at dinner, and stare longingly at our favorite dessert? For a while, all we heard about was the Atkins Diet, then came the “Zone Diet,” next was the “South Beach Diet,” and now it’s the “High Protein diet.” So what is a low-carb diet exactly?

Definition:  A low-carb diet limits carbohydrates — such as bread, grains, rice, starchy vegetables and fruit — and emphasizes sources of protein and fat. Many types of low-carb diets exist, each with varying restrictions on the types and amounts of carbohydrates. Examples of low-carb diets include the Atkins diet and the Zone diet. (mayoclinic.com)

What most people really want to know is: Will a low carb diet help me lose weight and is it safe?

Will it help you lose weight?

Yes and No. In the short run, a low carb diet CAN help you lose weight, but this weight is often water weight and is regained after you reintroduce carbs to your diet.  When you drastically restrict carbohydrates, the body goes into a different metabolic state called ketosis. During Ketosis, the body burns its own fat for fuel, instead of carbohydrates (which is normally your bodies’ main source of fuel). When the body is in ketosis, you usually feel less hungry, and therefore are likely to consume less food. However, during Ketosis your body forms substances called ketones; these can cause organs to fail, cause kidney stones or kidney failure, or result in gout. Ketones are usually a result of eating less than 100 grams of carbohydrates a day. With this type of diet, your body changes from a carbohydrate-burning engine into a fat-burning engine.  So we want to burn fat, but there are some pretty severe consequences of eating this way. (Web MD.com)

Dangers of a Low Carb Diet

• Kidney Failure- Consuming too much protein can put extra strain on the kidneys, and make some individuals susceptible to kidney failure.
• High Cholesterol- Many people assume that as long as they don’t eat carbs, they can eat whatever else they want; including high fat/high cholesterol foods like red meat and full fat dairy products. Scientists have found that high cholesterol can lead to other health problems like heart disease, stroke and cancer.
• Osteoporosis and Kidney Stones- Low-carb diets have also been shown to make individuals excrete more calcium from their urine than normal leading to osteoporosis and kidney stones.
• Cancer- Since people on low-carb diets often cut out foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, they often miss out on many cancer fighting vitamins and minerals.
• Unhealthy metabolic state called Ketosis (see above)

Now, I’m not giving you a mandate to go out and eat 5 rolls at dinner or 2 cupcakes for dessert. Remember, simple carbohydrates like white bread, cake and candy still turn into sugar in your body and are often stored as fat if not burned off by physical activity. The food guide pyramid recommends that between 45%-65% of your daily intake come from carbohydrates, 20%-35% from fat, and 10%-35% from protein. I try and stay at the higher end for protein and the lower end for carbs. I also try and make sure my carbs come from complex carbohydrates like whole grain bread, whole grain rice, vegetables, and fruit. When I don’t take in enough carbs, I often feel lethargic and don’t have enough energy for my workouts. So you don't have to cut carbs completely, just eat healthy complex carbohydrates whenever possible!

Everyone is different. There is no one perfect diet that works for everyone, so you have to listen to your body and make sure you are feeding it healthy nutritiously dense food! I hope this answers some of your questions about low-carb diets! Please feel free to post any additional questions!! If I don’t know the answer, I will try and find it for you.

Yours truly,

Lauren G.

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Quote of the Day: If we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything is ready we shall never begin." - Ivan Turgenev

Article of the Day: Smoothie Smart (http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=490&page=3) This article shows you ways to make your summer smoothie even healthier.

Everyday we are faced with thousands of decisions. Do I have time to his snooze this morning? What do I want to eat for breakfast? Should I eat that piece of cake in the staff meeting? (This one happens to me all too often!) With a little help from the table below, hopefully we can all make a few healthy (and painless) decisions today! Below, you will find "Lauren's Favorite Healthy Swaps." I have collected these over the years from magazine articles (thank you Prevention and Woman's Health), recipe books, and personal experiences. Try swapping out your full fat latte for a skim milk latte, or making your favorite pizza with low fat mozzarella instead of full-fat. Every little bit counts!

Do you have a favorite healthy swap of your own? If so, please feel free to share below!! I hope everyone has a great weekend, and a Happy Friday!!

Yours truly,

Lauren G.

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Everyone wants to eat healthier, but where do you start?? With all of the nutrition books, fitness magazines, and weight loss tv shows out there it can all seem a bit overwhelming. With a little planning, you can make small changes today that equal big rewards tomorrow. Below, are six easy changes you can make today, that will start you down the road of creating healthy eating habits for life!!

1) Drink water throughout the day. I know, you're thinking duh Lauren... but hold on. Water is great for your skin, your digestive system, helps prevent cellulite and aids in weight loss. Many times we mistake dehydration for hunger. If you feel hungry at atime you probably shouldn’t be (like when you ate lunch less than an hour ago) you are probably just dehydrated.

2) Start each day with protein! Lean protein keeps you satisfied for longer than other nutrients because it takes your body longer to digest them. According to a Purdue University study, eating lean protein (such as egg whites or low-fat yogurt) at breakfast keeps you more satisfied than if you ate it later in the day. Aim for around 30 grams of protein at breakfast each day.

3) Don’t drink your calories. Start to cut out sugary sodas and calorie packed alcoholic beverages (unfortunately the frozen ones are the worse). Some margarits have over 1,000 calories!! Yikes! Also, whenever possible choose whole foods over liquid alternatives. For example, eat a whole orange instead of drinking orange juice. Real food is usually more filling and chewing always makes us feel more satisfied. Why do you think Oprah loses her mind every time she goes on one of those liquid only diets?

4) Serve/order ALL dressings and sauces on the side. There is no reason to ruin a perfectly delicious salad or grilled chicken breast with fat laden dressings and sauces. Use the fork trick: dip your fork in the dressing and then pick up your food. I promise you won’t even miss the hundreds of calories you just saved yourself!

5) Snack smarter. How many times have you been so “good” at breakfast and lunch only to succumb to the callings of the dreaded vending machine come 3 o’clock?? I know I’m guilty! A big part of eating healthy, is being prepared. Make sure you keep healthy snacks on hand, so when hunger rears its ugly head you are prepared. Great options include: portable fruit (such as apples and bananas), almonds (they make amazing 100 calorie packs now), cheese sticks, low fat yogurt, and whole grain crackers. Remember to stay away from sugary snacks that cause your insulin to spike, and will just cause you to be hungry again in 30 minutes.

6) Shrink your plate and your waist! You know the old saying our eyes are bigger than our stomach?? Sometimes I think our eyes are bigger than our stomach, but we are so out of tune with what full feels like we just keep eating anyways. Try switching out your dinner plate for a salad plate. You can fill your plate up without having to lay on the coach bloated for an hour after dinner! I know this might sound cheesy, but I promise you would be shocked how much less you eat without even noticing.

See those weren’t too bad!

Coming tomorrow: Lauren's Eat This Not That Tables! Easy swaps that save mega calories!


Yours truly,

Lauren G

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First of all, let me say that I love my husband with all of my heart. He is the sweetest, funniest, most athletic and caring person I have ever met, and I thank God each and everyday for bringing him into my life. Now, with that being said, I also knew when I married him that he did not have the best eating habits around. However, that does not change the fact that I am determined to increase his intake of nutritiously delicious food and attempt to decrease the amount of sugar he consumes. I know this will be one of those times I have to stay focused on winning the war and not necessarily every battle. Hopefully, by sharing these experience with you, I can try and keep my sanity, and who knows maybe you will have a few pointers for me.

Let me start this story, by telling you what Eric eats in a typical day. You should probably be sitting down for this!

Breakfast: Frosted Flakes and whole milk (not too bad yet)

Morning Snack: Cinnamon Sugar Pop Tarts (420 calories and 32 grams of sugar!)

Lunch: 2 peanut butter and honey sandwiches (yes 2) on white bread, 2 Quaker oatmeal chewy bars, 2 welches fruit snacks and 1 bag of Frito chili cheese corn chips (these have over 10 grams of fat by themselves)

Afternoon snack: 1 snickers bar

Dinner: This is probably the healthiest meal of the day because it's the only one I can somewhat control. This is also the only meal that he actually intakes any fruits or vegetables!! For dinner tonight, he ate 2 cheeseburgers and a baked potato with butter and cheese.

I'll give you a second to pick your jaw up off the floor! And yes, I really am talking about the person in the picture to the left!

So here's my game plan.... I am going to attempt to remove one unhealthy item each week and replace it with a more nutritious option.

Week one: After much begging and pointing at nutrition labels, I have convinced Eric to replace his Chili Cheese Fritos with either pretzels, wheat thins, or another Lauren approved snack of his choice. We go to the grocery store each Sunday, so we have agreed to come to a mutual decision on this item.

Next week, I plan to tackle those dang Frosted Flakes!

The most challenging part of this transformation, is the fact that somehow Eric can eat all of this crap and still remain one of the leanest people I know. Its as if his body doesn't absorb fat!! I know, you are all thinking that is soooo unfair. His mom (who is one of my favorite people in the world) and I say the same thing all the time!! So since he sees no adverse affects from his terrible eating habits, it is very had to convince him to change. But I am determined to try just the same

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Sometimes just the thought of being trapped in the gym on a beautiful day is enough to make you throw in the towel and skip your workout. Well have no fear; Lauren’s super fun boot camp park workout is here! Boot Camp workouts are all the rage these days, I even coach one myself. You don’t have to pay a million dollars or have some macho man yell at you to see results. With a few key exercises you can simulate your own boot camp style outdoor workout at your own neighborhood park. Camo and military cadences are optional!

Equipment needed:
•Water bottle
•Towel
•Bench or picnic table
•Room to run
•Jump rope( optional)

You have two options:
Option 1: Between each strength exercise, jog a lap around the park.
Option 2: Between each strength exercise, perform one of the cardio drills listed below.
**Of course you can always alternate between taking a lap and performing drills!
Strength Moves

One legged squats: Stand on top of a bench or picnic table (choose the lowest seat) and hang your left leg off the side. Shifting your weight back into your heel (this should cause you to stick your toosh out), perform a one legged squat lowering your left leg toward the ground (it does not have to touch). Stand back up to the starting position. Perform 15 reps on each side.

Triceps Dips: Place your hands on the bench with your finger tips pointing towards your glutes. Keeping your arms tight to your body, bend your elbows and lower your glutes towards the ground. To increase the difficulty of this move straighten your legs. Perform 15 reps.

Walking Lunges: Step forward with your right leg into a lunge, stand up and then step forward with your left leg. Repeat until you have completed 12 lunges on each leg. Remember, to make sure your front knee is not extending past your toe.

Pushups: Perform 10-15 pushups from either your knees or toes. You want to make sure you keep your back straight the entire time. It is better to do a perfect pushup from your knees than a sloppy one from your toes.

Body weight squats: With your legs slightly further than hip distance apart, perform 15 body weight squats holding the last one at the bottom for 15 seconds. Like the one legged squats, make sure your weight is in your heels and your sticking your toosh out like you’re about to go to the restroom.

Plank: Assume a push up position on your hands and toes. Your back should be straight, with your hands directly underneath your shoulders. Now, hang out for 30 seconds to a minute.

Cardio Drills

Jump Rope: Jump for 1 minute, rest for 30 seconds and then jump for 1 more minute.

Shuttle run: Place your water bottle approximately 20 large steps away from your towel. Start at one end, and see how many times you can sprint back and forth between the two items in 30 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds, and then repeat for a total of 3x’s.

Skip Jumps: Place your towel or jump rope on the ground and ski jump or bunny hop over the item (try to get your feet as far of the ground as possible by bringing your knees to your chest). Jump side to side for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds and repeat for a total of 3x’s.

Depending on how long your lap is, you should aim to perform each strength move with a cardio segment in between two times. For a total of 10 strength exercises and 10 cardio bursts. Once you feel comfortable with this, you can go for round 3!!

I hope you enjoy the workout! Let me know what you think, and if you have any questions feel free to post them below.

Yours truly,

Lauren G

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