Browsed by
Author: Meredith Mitchell

Are you prepared to reach your goals?

Are you prepared to reach your goals?

Do you have any goals set for yourself?  Whether it’s weight loss, muscle gain or the desire to be more toned.  Maybe you want to train for a marathon, iron man or tough mudder event.  Are you prepared to take your goal seriously?  Take the quiz below to find out.  Take the necessary steps to make the commitment to yourself to reach your goal 🙂

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/assessment_questions.asp?quizid=52

10 reasons why you should kick sugar to the curb!

10 reasons why you should kick sugar to the curb!

I went to a mini seminar last week about sugar and wanted to briefly share some of the info with you.  It’s no secret that sugar should be consumed minimally.  Unfortunately sugar is in just about everything we eat including the obvious things like desserts and candy, making our consumption more than minimal.  Unless you are able to make everything from scratch, sugar is probably on the ingredient list.

At the seminar we were given a list with 124 negative affects sugar has on our bodies!!!  Slightly overwhelming 😉  I won’t list all 124, but here are 10 examples from the list:
1. Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, difficulty concentrating and crankiness in children
2. Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides
3. Sugar leads to cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate and rectum
4. Sugar raises the level of neurotransmitters: dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine
5. Sugar can cause premature aging
6. Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines
7. Sugar slows food’s travel time through the gastrointestinal tract
8. Sugar increases estradiol (the most potent form of naturally occurring estrogen) in men
9. The body changes sugar into 2-5 times more fat in the bloodstream than it does starch
10. The rapid absorption of sugar promotes excessive food intake (even if your body isn’t hungry, the sugar will cause you to crave more food…yikes!!!)

It’s nearly impossible to cut sugar out of your diet completely and I’m not suggesting you should.  I am suggesting you really pay attention to the sugar content in the food you are eating and try to stay under 6g of sugar per serving.  You want to avoid any refined sugars and any artificial sweeteners.  Stevia is a great substitute!  I realize if you are a person who LOVES sugar and has no intention of cutting back then you probably won’t.  PLEASE just be aware of the ways sugar can harm you.

Here’s an example of one benefit that can come from cutting back on sugar (aside from losing weight).  A friend of mine was having a horrible time sleeping.  She would wake up 4-6x every night.  She went to go see Dr. Amanda Childress, the woman who gave the seminar on sugar, and decided to take her advice and cut back her sugar drastically.  She had immediate results!  After one day of getting rid of the refined sugar she was able to sleep the WHOLE night through!  For her, cutting out the sugar comes down to a simple question she asks herself “do I want to sleep tonight, or do I want to enjoy this piece of cake for 5min?”

Cutting back on the the refined sugar in your diet will be challenging, HOWEVER, the benefits you will experience will be worth it!  Let me know if you have any questions 🙂

Great Slow Cooker Recipes!

Great Slow Cooker Recipes!

Slow-cooker Vegetarian Lasagna:
~ http://www.eatingwell.com/print/18037

Hungarian Beef Goulash:
~ http://www.eatingwell.com/print/6932

Brisket in Onion Gravy:
~ http://www.eatingwell.com/print/16766

Pulled Pork with Caramelized Onions:
~ http://www.eatingwell.com/print/16770

Wine and Tomato Braised Chicken:
~ http://www.eatingwell.com/print/16763

Chinese Pork and Vegetable Hot Pot:
~ http://www.eatingwell.com/print/6971

Eggplant and Chickpea Stew:
~ http://www.eatingwell.com/print/16756

Barley Risotto with Fennel:
~ http://www.eatingwell.com/print/6940

Greek Chicken and Vegetable Ragout:
~ http://www.eatingwell.com/print/6927

Irish Lamb Stew:
~ http://www.eatingwell.com/print/4834

BBQ Pulled Chicken:
~ http://www.eatingwell.com/print/4820

Squash, Chickpea & Red Lentil Stew:
~ http://www.eatingwell.com/print/4835

Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew:
~ http://www.eatingwell.com/print/4836

Slow-Cooked Beans:
~ http://www.eatingwell.com/print/5341

Workout #10

Workout #10

Here is a sample H.I.I.T. workout.  Give it a try and then go through the stretching routine which you will find by clicking the link below :)

http://www.ptonthenet.com/capview.aspx?s=MjEzNjc5LDIwMTIsMywyNSw0LDU5LEZhbHNlIHg0WVA4NEpNYXI4S3YxY3F0Q2E3MWc9PQ==&p=1329308&e=677

H.I.I.T.

If this is your first time going through this type of workout do at least 15 min but no more than 20 min.  If this is not your first time, try  to get through 20-30 mins.  Ready!?! The intensity scale will be between 0-10, 0 being a very slow walk and 10 being an all out sprint.  This is the ratio, 10 sec at a level 8 intensity to 20 sec at a level 3 intensity.  Make sure you are good and warmed up before you start your first sprint.  Take a brisk walk or a slow jog for 5-10 min and then begin the intervals.  Have a great workout!