Health & Fitness Solutions For Everyone

5 Signs Your Body Is Toxic

2012-05-16T21:09:23Z

5 Signs Your Body is Toxic

By Kim Kash

Do you sleep 8 hours but wake up groggy? Are you perpetually grumpy? Do you crave sugar? Are you gaining weight even though you’re exercising regularly? Is your cholesterol through the roof even though you think you’re eating right?

If this sounds a typical day for you, your body may be overloaded with toxins. Toxins that are causing you to gain weight, feel fatigued, and crave all the wrong foods. How did this happen?

1. You have a hard time losing weight.
Possible Cause: In modern society, toxic chemicals are everywhere. They’re in the processed food you eat, the plastics you handle, the cigarette smoke you breathe in, and more. Some of these pollutants may trigger disruptions in the body’s endocrine system and this can cause you to gain weight.

Solutions: The harsh truth is that ridding your world of all toxic chemicals and pollutants is nearly impossible. But, you do have some control. Choose to eat more whole foods. Package and reheat your foods in glass instead of plastic. Stop smoking. These solutions do require some effort, but once you start to see the numbers on the scale go down, you’ll feel rewarded for it.

2. You’re always tired.
Possible Causes: Toxic chemicals in the environment and in the foods you eat could be the culprits here too. If you’ve been feeling severe fatigue for more than six months, you could have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Other symptoms may include forgetfulness, joint pain, irritability, depression, and achy muscles. Another possible cause for your exhaustion could be mercury poisoning if you eat a lot of fish or shellfish or have mercury fillings in your teeth.

Solutions: Once again, you’re not going to be able to avoid all toxic chemicals, but you can stop smoking, choose glass and other products over plastic, and eat less processed food. If, your doctor determines that you have mercury poisoning, steer clear of fish and shellfish for some time and have any mercury filings replaced with a non-toxic alternative.

3. Your cholesterol is too high.
Possible Causes: If you are overweight or obese, your weight is one cause for your high cholesterol. Obesity can decrease your HDL (good cholesterol) numbers and increase your triglyceride numbers. Triglycerides are particularly dangerous as they can increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. If you are in good shape, your high cholesterol may be due to certain medications such as beta-blockers, estrogen, and corticosteroids.

Solutions: To put it simply: lose weight. If that’s not an issue but you can’t ditch the medications that are causing your elevated cholesterol levels, eat foods–such as oatmeal, fish high in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon and halibut, nuts, and olive oil–that can help you in your battle against those numbers.

4. You crave coffee, sugar, or junk food.
Possible Causes: The foods themselves. When you eat caffeine, sugar, and other unhealthy foods, they often cause your serotonin and/or your sugar levels to spike…and then sink to lower than they were before you ingested that food. Talk about creating an unhealthy cycle!

Solution: Kick your junk food habits. Expect a withdrawal period during which you’ll be cranky, have headaches, and feel fatigued, but this will likely subside within a day or a few days.

5. You’re grumpy.
Possible Causes: Likely, your irritability is caused by a combination of the environmental and food toxins that might be causing your other issues as studies have revealed that chronic exposure to low levels of environmental toxins can lead to depression, anxiety, and mood swings.

Solution: The best way to feel better is to eat better, lose weight, exercise (it boosts the serotonin levels in your brain that help keep you happy), and make smarter decisions when it comes to what chemicals your exposure yourself to.

Admittedly, making major changes to your lifestyle is difficult. But, we also want you to feel healthier and happier. That’s why we recently launched the Beachbody Ultimate Reset. It’s a 21-day program that will help you curb your cravings, lower your cholesterol, feel more well rested, and more. Isn’t it time to stop feeling toxic and start feeling better?

How To Get Paid To Think About Fitness!

2012-03-23T23:31:38Z

Almost everyone I've ever talked to has a desire to stay in shape or get in shape. People who are in shape are always looking for ways to increase their fitness and people who are not in shape are always wanting to be in shape.

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Getting in shape is exactly like riding a bike. Once you learn how to ride it you never forget and it gets easier each time you get on and ride.

The most important factor is opening your mind to information which will give you true, honest and accurate information on where YOU should be starting and how to succeed.

I want to give you that information. I want you to have it so bad that I'm going to pay you to read it.

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10 Tips To Keep Guys Hot and Healthy

2012-02-24T01:05:24Z

10 Tips to Keep Guys Hot and Healthy

By Sarah Stevenson

Ok studs, if you're reading this, odds are you're a follower of Tony or Shaun, and being faithful to your P90X^®/INSANITY^® workouts, you're most likely a head turner with the ladies. That said, women today are raising their standards for the "Hot and Healthy" guy. Having a gorgeous physique is top on the list but it's going to take a lot more than that these days to keep the girls gawking. Read on to really learn "what a girl wants."

Hot Bodies. Men with healthy physiques are likely to catch any girl's eye. No, you don't have to beef yourself up to look like Hercules. You do however have to EXERCISE. Treat exercise like brushing your teeth. You brush every day, right? (If not, yuck!) Put exercise in that category as well. Furthermore, it's good for you. According to Dr. F.W. Booth, physical inactivity affects at least 20 of the most deadly chronic disorders. He believes we have evolved into creatures that require an active lifestyle. So get your butt off the couch and move it, move it.
Hot Hair. Sexy heads are important to a woman. Make sure to keep it healthy and groomed. Don't be insecure if you're losing your hair. If you are balding, shave it—bald is sexy. Researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine studied 2,000 men aged between 40 and 47. They were able to link high levels of testosterone in those who lose their hair. (I've always been attracted to bald men. They appear so masculine to me.) If you are going gray, you will look 10 times sexier if you just let it go gray. If you do decide to color it, get it professionally done to avoid looking like Wayne Newton.

If you do have hair and you want to keep it, you may consider integrating a healthy diet. Eat foods high in protein including meats, eggs, beans, and nuts. Look for foods high in Omega - 3s such as tuna, salmon, peanut butter, almonds, walnuts, sunflower oil, canola oil, olive oil, and safflower oil. Last but not least, eat foods high in iron including dark greens, beans, raisins, red meats, and egg yolks.
Smell Sexy. I often walk by the ocean for exercise, with an iPod^® plugged into my ears and the majestic sea before me to serve as scenery. It never fails, a man will run by with a sexy masculine smell or irresistible smelling cologne on and it doesn't matter what he looks like, I instantly get butterflies and turn to look who this sexy creature might be. Women do get turned on by smell, so if you don't like cologne at least smell clean. And the whole "pheromone phenomena"—that women are more attracted to the raw smell of a man—is a little over simplified. According to Social Issues Research Centre's The Smell Report, "All male pheromones are not equally attractive, and some of the myths stem from an understandable confusion over their names. The male pheromone androstenone is not the same as androstenol. Androstenol is the scent produced by fresh male sweat, and is attractive to females. Androstenone is produced by male sweat after exposure to oxygen—i.e. when less fresh—and is perceived as highly unpleasant by females. In other words, there's a fine line between the sexy aroma of exercise and a stink of a gym sock.

How you eat affects the way you smell. Too much red meat, garlic, and onions will make you stinky so don't over do them. Many types of cologne contain cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg or cardamom. Add these spices to your food and get a double boost in the smell-good department. Also eating fresh produce will help keep you clean and free of strong odors.
Sincere eyes. Look directly into a woman's eyes when approaching or talking to her. Women love sincerity. A man who is unable to make proper eye contact can appear uninterested or aloof. To make sure you have eyes ladies want to look at, eat a healthy balanced diet. Carrots and sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene that helps ward off macular degeneration and cataracts. Spinach is also a great food for the eyes, it contains vitamin C, antioxidants, and carotene that can protect your eyes from the sun.
Smile. A beautiful smile is a chick magnet. When you smile at me I can't help but smile myself, which releases endorphin, serotonin, and dopamine. (Trust me, you want ladies to link you and dopamine.) Australian researchers found that subjects who smiled authentically were later judged as being more likable and approachable than non-smilers and non-authentic smilers. So smile, but don't fake it. If you're looking for a natural, cheap way to whiten your teeth you can use baking soda. Due to its gritty nature, it's able to erase stains on the teeth. Just dip your toothbrush in water then baking soda and brush away the grime. Peroxide is also a great whitener. Take equal parts water and 3 percent household hydrogen peroxide, swish it around your mouth for 30 seconds (do not swallow). You'll have whiter teeth in seconds.
Keep it clean. That means wash it, brush it, pluck it, and groom it. Put some effort into it. My new favorite word when it comes to men's body hair is “Manscaping.” Essentially manscaping requires you to trim the unruly hair all over your body, to give it some boundaries. You don't have to necessarily deforest your body from head to toe. Most girls just want to know you're trying. There are some really great electric do-it-yourself body grooming tools or you can hire yourself a “Manscaper.” YES they really do exist and being experts in the field they may be able to offer some great pointers.
Dress with style. Men need to put some effort into this category. Of course we all have different tastes and style, but a little effort here scores big points in the "Hot and Sexy Category." It’s important that a man dress in a way that is true to his personality and character. If you are trying to dress like a rock star but you prefer the symphony, girls are likely to see straight through you. A well-dressed man wears decent quality clothes (ridiculously expensive name brands are not necessary for most women to find a man sexy) that fit his physique and character. Wearing a tight pair of pants and leather choker just to impress a woman is not going to last too long. Being unique, will. Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best, "They think him the best dressed man, whose dress is so fit for his use that you cannot notice or remember to describe it."
Listen. Men who listen to women are always put in the category of a great guy. Many men don't get how easy it can be to score points with a woman—listening is one of those easy A's. It’s incredibly flattering when a man looks you in the eye and really attends to what you're saying. A man who listens is sexy and sweet. To make sure your ears are in tip-top shape you can eat foods high in vitamin A such as sweet potatoes, red bell peppers, carrots and spinach; fruits and veggies rich in vitamin C, such as oranges, limes, lemons, strawberries and guava; and foods high in vitamin E like wheat germ, peanut butter, and most nuts.
Hygiene. A man who stinks can never be sexy in my eyes. Please shower, brush your teeth, comb your hair, shave, manscape, and eat healthy so your foods are working against you when it comes to smell. Make these daily activities. A clean, healthy boy is a sexy boy. So go on boys jump in the shower and get yourself looking "Hot and Healthy."
Posture.
How you carry yourself is key when looking to appear "Hot and Healthy." I know, I know you and tons of others heard growing up, "Stop slouching, sit up straight." But grandma was right. Men who carry themselves properly also carry a look of capability and pride. That is freaking sexy in my opinion. I teach proper posture for a living as a yoga instructor. I focus poses that require core engagement. So keep up on those crunches guys. In yoga we have a pose called Mountain Pose (Tadasana in sanskrit) that depicts perfect posture. Here's how you do it:
- Start by standing, allowing your two big toes to touch. Leave a small space between the heels.
- Lift up all your toes and spread them out, then rest them down. (You now have a solid base)
- Allow your body weight to rest on all four corners of your feet.
- Engage your calve muscles as you press the feet into the floor.
- Move up to your quadriceps and engage them tightly, notice the knee caps lift.
- Internally rotate your thighs, this will widen your sit bones and then tuck your tailbone to rest between the sit bones.
- Engage the muscles in your core.
- Set your shoulders directly over your hips.
- Lengthen your neck allowing the crown of your head to rise toward the sky.
- Slide your shoulder blades toward each other then take them down the back toward the floor.

The honest truth is we women adore you men. It doesn't take much to grab our attention and it takes just a bit more to hold it. A little effort goes a long way, guys. Follow these easy steps and you will go from scoring as a 6 on the "Hot and Healthy" meter to scoring a 10. Not only will you get the attention of the ladies but also the respect from society.

Sources:

Booth, F.W. et al. 2002. Waging war on physical inactivity: using modern molecular ammunition against an ancient enemy.Journal of Applied Physiology, 93, 3-30.
J Appl Physiol, October , 2011; 111 (4): 1199-1200. Frank W. Booth and Mark Hargreaves. Understanding multi-organ pathology from insufficient exercise
Jonathan L. Wright, Stephanie T. Page, Daniel W. Lin, Janet L. Stanford Cancer Epidemiology - April 2010 (Vol. 34, Issue 2, Pages 131-135, DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2010.02.003)
Albrecht J, Demmel M, Schöpf V, Kleemann AM, Kopietz R, May J, Schreder T, Zernecke R, Brückmann H, Wiesmann M. Smelling chemosensory signals of males in anxious versus nonanxious condition increases state anxiety of female subjects. [Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't] Chem Senses 2011 Jan; 36(1):19-27.
Social Issues Research Centre: The Smell Report/Sexual Attraction http://www.sirc.org/publik/smell_attract.html
Gladstone, G. L. and Parker, G. B. (2002), When you're smiling does the whole world smile for you?. Australasian Psychiatry, 10: 144–146. doi: 10.1046/j.1440-1665.2002.00423.

Recipe: Spiced Chocolate Covered Strawberries

2012-02-24T00:48:59Z

Recipe: Spiced Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

It's a universal truth that chocolate-covered strawberries are great for romance, but if you do them right, they can be good for your heart too. The resveratol and flavonoids in dark chocolate are powerful antioxidants. Coconut oil contains lauric acid, a "good" saturated fat that has been shown to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Ancho chilies are rich in beta-carotene and vitamin A. And don't even get us started about the many benefits of the strawberries themselves!

However, for the record, although no one wants to hear the "M" word (moderation) on V-day, you all know the score when it comes to chocolate, right? Right?

1 lb. strawberries (about 20)
9 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin coconut oil
1 dash ground ancho chili powder
Water

Wash strawberries, dry completely; set aside.
Line a baking pan with parchment or waxed paper; set aside.
Place chocolate and coconut oil in heatproof medium bowl; set aside.
Place 2 to 3 inches of water in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat; turn off heat; set bowl of chocolate over water to melt, stirring occasionally.
Add chili powder; stir until smooth; remove pan from burner.
Hold a strawberry by leaf, dip into melted chocolate; lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set strawberry on parchment paper. Repeat with remaining strawberries.
Set strawberries aside for 30 minutes or until chocolate has hardened.

Makes 10 servings, 2 strawberries each.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 23 minutes

Nutritional Information:

Calories	Protein	Fiber	Carbs	Fat Total	Saturated Fat
176	2 g	4 g	14 g	12 g	7 g

4 Winter Workouts That Work

2011-02-16T07:21:00Z

4 Great Winter Sports Workouts

By Andrew Rice

So far, it's been a brutal winter—and there's no better excuse than freezing cold weather for staying inside (and doing a Beachbody workout)! But there comes a time when you just have to make a break from the confines of your living room and get outside. The great news is that winter sports are fantastic cross-training workouts because they require more balance than many summer sports. Also, they each utilize a set of muscles different from your usual workout. It's possible to be at peak strength and form come spring if you engage in one or more of these four winter sports activities to get outside and stay fit.

Downhill skiing. As you already know, the core muscles are the cluster of muscles around your spine, pelvis, and groin that give you balance and stability. Skiing uses all these muscles in a fun, dynamic workout. To mix it up a little, do things like skating in your skis up the hill to the chairlift rather than booting up the slope. For a beginner, just learning to ski is plenty of exercise. More advanced skiers can use a few tricks to keep improving balance and core strength: Take a run where you balance on just one ski for as long as possible while still turning and stopping. When one leg gets tired, switch to the other and keep going. Backward skiing is also a test of your balance and works a different set of muscles. Leave your poles at the lodge when you try backward skiing, or take them off your wrists and hold them out in front of your body, kind of like a pair of handlebars. Of course, try these tricks on a run where you're really comfortable, not on a double black diamond. Skiing moguls and shredding the terrain park with the snowboarders are also fantastic for your core.
Cross-country ski skating. First, my condolences to those of you who have snow but no mountains. Life is cruel. But flat snow has its uses, too. The variety of cross-country skiing called ski skating is wonderful for your balance and overall aerobic fitness. If you don't know what this is already, picture yourself ice skating really fast through the woods, but on skis. Seek out your local snow-covered frozen lake or a groomed cross-country ski resort for the best trails. Lacking those options, seek out the closest golf course or even a snow-covered football field. The motions of skating work the heck out of your quads, glutes, and core. Your arms get a nice benefit, too, since you sometimes use them to push. And you can adapt skating to your own preferences. Some people go long distances; others do sprints. Mix it up and come up with a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) program that'll blow away anything you do on a track in a pair of running shoes.
Snowshoe running. Proof that people will do just about anything to stay fit. This sport is largely practiced by devoted—make that maniacal—runners looking to crank up their fitness. According to at least one expert, marathoners who cross-train in the winter with snowshoes often find their race times have plummeted come spring. A set of good trail-running snowshoes should set you back between $200 and $400. Beyond that, it's free. It'll feel awkward at first. You'll need to retrain your brain a little from your running stride. On snowshoes, you'll pull your feet up using your hips rather than pushing down with your feet like you would running on dirt or asphalt. And don't run using a wide stance; that'll wear you down in no time. Truly hardcore snowshoe runners log up to 70 miles a week, but that's extreme. Start out slowly and work up to a mileage that's maybe 20 percent of your summer running.
Ice skating. Anyone who has ever watched Olympic speed skating or a hockey game can tell you that ice skating is a great way to build your lower body and flexibility at the same time. Plus, like everything that requires dynamic balance, skating builds insane core strength—that tiny 10-year-old doing a flying camel spin has more core strength than the entire Chicago Bears defensive line. But you don't have to be Olympic material to benefit from a good skating workout. No matter what your ability level, just getting on the ice works your core. Skating can also provide a great workout for the large muscles you employ on the ice, including your glutes, hip abductors, hip adductors, hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves.

For skaters at any skill level, the key is to get a little outside your comfort zone. Beginning skaters should work on gliding on one blade as long as possible with the other blade off the ice. Everyone has a strong and weak side. Use both. Start trying to do 5-second glides on each foot, then work up until you can go for much longer. Linking parallel ski-style turns is a blast on skates and utilizes your abs, glutes and thighs. Do this in sets with gentle skating in between. Finally, skating backward is a terrific exercise for your butt muscles and works the muscles on both sides of your legs. Make it a point to spend at least a third of your rink time going backward and soon you'll look like Wayne Gretzky from the rear.

I could blather on until spring thaw about great winter sports workouts, but I've got to get myself out of this chair and down to the rink. Enjoy the chill. Summer will be here soon enough and this year, I've promised myself to stay fit through the winter. I hope you can too.

How To Avoid An Exercise Plateau - Steve Edwards tells you how!

2011-02-16T06:11:00Z

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Have You Seen The Newest Beachbody Program?

2010-07-13T20:49:00Z

Turbo Fire!
It's all that and a bag of chips! I mean bag of apples!
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PURCHASE TURBO FIRE HERE! START YOUR TRANSFORMATION NOW!

Want Some Dessert Everyday?

2010-06-22T17:22:00Z

Of course you do but you don't want the results of eating chocolatecake everyday. We all know what that leads to. Not to worry though, youcan have a desert everyday and actually lose pounds and inches at thesame time. Really, I'm serious, no kidding!

Beachbody has the ultimate desert for you and from first handexperience and from tons of my friends and family, I can tell you thatyou'll love it. It's called Shakeology . I know what you're thinking,"not another gimmick weight loss shake that tastes like garbage on a hotday." WRONG!!
This is what you've wanted your weight loss shakes totaste like. One that you actually look forward to drinking, EVERYDAY!What a concept huh? Tons of recipes , makes for a great variety offlavors to keep you drinking them and eliminating "drink boredom" of"the same old thing" Comes in both chocoloate and wild berry flavors. Iam a sucker for the chocolate, but to each his/her own.

The Results
This is ultimately what matters to most to us right? If we drink aweight loss shake we should be losing weight without question. So, lookfor yourself and see the results of others who followed this simpleplan of drinking one shake a day.

The Benefits
I won't be the expert here but I will let some of the worlds topphysicians tell you why they are recommending it to their patients andusing it themselves. 25 independent doctors don't lie! So listen tothem and you be the judge.

I Dare You!
So here is the challenge. Use shakeology for 30 days RISK FREE. If youdon't lose the pounds and inches that you want then you pay nothing.That's right, an empty bag guarantee. No questions asked!

Order Here and get started loving the taste of weight loss!

Test Your Getting-Back-in-Shape IQ!

2010-06-15T05:50:00Z

Test Your Getting-Back-in-Shape IQ!

By Valerie Watson

Forsomebody who works at a company that focuses on fitness, I amalarmingly unfit. So I know how tough it can be when you're feelinglike an out-of-shape pink monkey stuck in the middle of a . . . flock?Herd? Pack? What's a bunch of brown monkeys called, anyway? No matter;I work in an office where everybody else uses their lunch hour to BringIt!^® by doing a P90X^®workout while I surf the Web or work on writing the next great Americanscreenplay—both noble pursuits, but they're not making my tummy anyflatter.

So I decided to look into which Beachbody^® workout programwould be best for someone who's just dipping her toe back into the poolof fitness after an exteeeeeeeended dry spell. And how do y'all get toparticipate? Why, by deciding which of the following statements aretrue and which are false.

True or False?

True AND False: Slim in 6^® is a super-easy way to get started. Slim in 6 is an excellent way to reimmerse yourself in regular physical exercise after you've been away from it for a while, but the compound adjective "super-easy" should be sending up some red flags for the thinking person. Make no mistake: even though Slim in 6 is listed in the Getting Started section of Beachbody.com, YOU ARE GOING TO FEEL IT. Always remember that returning to physical activity after a long layoff is going to require some work, and it's best to consult with your doctor to make sure you're up to the rigors of what's going to be asked of you. Then once you get the all-clear, go ahead and take the plunge—you'll be glad you did!
True: P90X should be reserved for those who've already built up some strength and stamina. While some daring souls have plunged straight into P90X—and had some amazing results doing it—folks who've been sedentary for a considerable amount of time (like yours truly) might want to start a little lower on the Beachbody workout food chain. Tony's Power 90^® is a good way to prepare for P90X. So are Slim in 6, Turbo Jam^®, and Shaun T's Rockin' Body^®.
False: Yoga Booty Ballet^® Pure & Simple Yoga is so easy, it feels almost like cheating. Don't let the soothing music or yoga's reputation as the prime road to relaxation fool you—yoga works all your major muscle groups and helps strengthen your core. So while it's a great way to get started, stretching your muscles and increasing your lung capacity, remember that it has three different levels of difficulty so you can keep challenging yourself as you learn and grow stronger.
False: Beachbody programs created by women, like Debbie Siebers and Chalene Johnson, are much easier than ones created by men, like Tony Horton and Shaun T. While most people rightfully think of programs like Tony's P90X Plus and Shaun T's INSANITY^® as being among the toughest we offer, you'd be foolish to sell the female contingent short. Chalene's Turbo Jam^® Fat Burning Elite and Debbie's Slim Series^® Express will both kick your butt six ways from Sunday.

Shop For The Hottest Beachbody Programs Now!

Introducing Body Gospel

2010-06-13T16:45:00Z

Introducing Beachbody's All-New Body Gospel® Program!

		The answer to your weight loss prayers is here! Body Gospel^® is a first-of-its-kind program, including workouts set to incredible gospel music, breakthrough new resistance bands, and a complete nutrition plan created by fitness icon Donna Richardson Joyner. She shows you how to use the Body Gospel program to transform your body and your life. Every workout is a "party with a purpose," and the results will amaze you. If you believe, you will succeed!
	Consult your physician and follow all safety instructions before beginning any exercise program.

Test Your Tomato IQ!

2010-06-12T08:50:00Z

Test Your Tomato IQ!

By Elizabeth Brion

It'ssummertime! For people like me, there's no need to look for anupside—it's all good news. But even if you hate the heat and sunshinemakes you snappish, surely you're at least a littleoptimistic about the season's glorious tomato crop. Friends have waxedrhapsodic about the joy of heading out into the garden with a saltshaker and just chowing down; I'm a city mouse myself and never hadthat opportunity, but my lower-Manhattan roommates and I did once holda BYOTAS party (Bring Your Own Tomatoes and Salt, obviously). I can'timagine why that trend never caught on. Let's find out how much youknow about tomatoes.

True or False?

False: The largest tomato ever grown weighed nearly 5 pounds. The Guinness Book record-holder, grown by Gordon Graham of Oklahoma in 1986, actually weighed in at 7 pounds, 12 ounces.
True: The tomato is a vegetable. You thought you had this one, right? In a twist on the twist to this story, the biologically-a-fruit tomato was ruled to be a vegetable by the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Nix v. Hedden, 1893. I'm not 100% sure about this, but I believe that as a U.S. citizen I am required to abide by that ruling in all public correspondence.
False: The tomato loses much of its nutritional value when cooked. While this is true for many foods, the tomato's nutritional value actually increases significantly—specifically, the level of the crucial antioxidant lycopene. Lycopene is fat soluble, so cooking the tomatoes with some oil will increase the nutrient's bioavailability. Don't you love when the healthiest option is also a fun option?
False: The scientific name of the tomato translates to "apple of love." Close—that's its Italian name, pomodoro. Its scientific name, lycopersicum, translates to "wolf peach." Which is such a cool name I'm not sure why we don't just call it that. Want to start?
True: Tomatoes were once considered poisonous. Like the rest of the nightshade family, tomatoes had a bad reputation—some other nightshades came by that rep honestly, but the tomato just has a teensy bit of poison and clearly wants to serve humankind honorably. In 1820, a gentleman named Robert Gibbon Johnson decided he'd had enough of our nonsense and stood on the courthouse steps of Salem, NJ, eating tomato after tomato without dying until the townspeople had to admit it was safe. And he did this without even the faintest possibility of YouTube^® stardom. That's dedication.

5 Ways to Beat the Worktime Snack Attack

2010-06-12T08:39:00Z

5 Ways to Beat the Worktime Snack Attack

By Omar Shamout

I recall an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm a few yearsback where Larry David was arguing with someone (as he's wont to do)over the proper time to eat dinner. He was adamant that dinner istraditionally eaten between the hours of 5 PM and 8 PM. Not before. Notafter. Since the majority of Americans don't have the luxury of livingoff Seinfeld residuals, we have to go to work, and sometimesthat means we can't eat at normal hours, or in any sort of regularintervals. A constantly rotating work schedule or very long shiftspresent a challenge to eating right, but can certainly be overcome withproper planning and a positive outlook.

Your body is a creature of habit. It gets used to routines, and thechemical processes that go on inside of it are on a set schedule.Consequently, if you do something to throw those off, like drasticallyaltering your eating habits, it tends to react poorly. The best way tofix this is to outsmart your body, and get it on a schedule that worksfor the both of you.

Here are some tips on how to do that:

If you don't get enough sleep, you're busted no matter what. Therefore, the first order of business is to adjust your sleep schedule. Cutting out crucial hours of sleep will affect the results you see from not only your diet, but your workout as well. Not getting enough sleep is detrimental to your health and metabolism, even if you eat during "optimal" periods. Want more proof? Check out this recent newsletter article that offers a rather stark warning. (See "The Sleep Solution: 4 Ways to Get the Rest You Need to Boost Results!" in the Related Articles section below.) The point here is that if working late causes you to lose sleep, you will be doing damage to your body no matter how well you eat, and all the subsequent tips mentioned below will be for naught.
Late-night eating. We've always heard that eating right before bed is bad because the body doesn't get a chance to burn those calories off, and instead converts the food into fat. At the same time, depriving your body of nutrients isn't healthy either, so what's the answer?
In a recent study at Northwestern University, scientists discovered that a group of mice who were only allowed to eat a high-fat diet during an non-optimal eating period (nighttime) gained over twice as much weight as mice only allowed to eat during an optimal eating period (daytime). In other words, mice that ate before bed got fat. While researchers are as yet unable to pinpoint a single reason for this discrepancy, "the interplay between body temperature, metabolic hormones such as leptin, and the sleep-wake cycle" were determined to be the biggest contributing factors.

So if you can avoid eating before bed, do. But if you're hard pressed, keep it small and try to space it as far away from sleep as possible.
Eat moderately throughout the day. This is the best solution to avoid getting those deep hunger pangs at night when you get home, and to set your body's metabolism on an effective rhythm. This is especially true for people whose jobs force them to be immobile, and prevent them from getting enough natural exercise throughout the day to allow them to burn off a few of the calories from a heavy lunch. If you're working a double shift and find yourself awake for 20 plus hours, try taking a portion block from one of your meals and using it as a snack later on instead. If you're on your feet most of the time and have an active job, adding an extra 200 to 300 balanced calories to your diet shouldn't be a problem. Either way, try to eat every 3 hours, and avoid eating 2 to 3 hours before bed.
Skipping meals is not the answer. You may be tempted to fast and skip meals altogether, reducing your daily caloric intake in the hopes that consuming fewer calories will lead to weight loss. The problem with this logic is that drastically reducing your caloric intake can also cause your body's metabolism to slow down and stop converting food into energy. In order to lose weight, your body needs fuel. Weight loss occurs when you burn more calories than you consume, not simply by eating less. It may be counterintuitive, but eating less without exercising is very unhealthy, and will leave you feeling tired and listless, due to a dip in blood sugar. If you want to be super-fit and lean, you have to eat and exercise to turn your body into a fat-burning machine rather than a fat-storing machine.
"Cyprindon" from the Beachbody^® Message Boards elaborates on the potentially harmful side effects of allowing your body to become acclimated to fewer daily calories over the long term and enter what is referred to as starvation mode:

"You are putting less calories toward body heat production and toward activity than you would at a higher calorie level. You may or may not notice that you feel colder than you did at a higher calorie intake. You may or may not notice that you simply move slower and you move less all day long through your activities. You may even be sleeping more than before. You may also be putting less calories toward egg production, immune system function, tissue repair, and other things."
Plan ahead. Don't let your work schedule be an excuse for living an unhealthy lifestyle. If you know you'll be working at dinnertime, find a time to eat healthy snacks and small meals while on the job. It may be difficult at first, and you might need to try out a few schedules, but being smart and proactive will usually supply an answer. Still don't think it's possible? Take it from Beachbody Message Boards contributor "PrimaBallerina." She writes:
"I don't get home from work until 10 or 10:30 at night. I didn't think I had the option of eating at work. I teach dance, and I have classes back to back to back. I don't even have time to go to the bathroom. I had to make time to eat. I teach ballet 95% of the time, and I teach a certain method where they do the same thing to the same music, so I take the opportunity to eat a dinner that I pack while they're doing the stuff they know well. I'm still watching and working, but I'm taking care of myself too! I agree with everybody else, pack a dinner!"

Shakeology^® is an excellent way to give your body the nutrition it needs in a quick and easy way, and is very conducive to an on-the-go lifestyle. Other quick, portable, and healthy snacks include fresh fruit, chopped-up veggies, or raw nuts.

The bottom line is that you are the only person who can take controlof your health. If you're not really committed to taking the necessarysteps to losing weight and getting fit, then there are any number ofexcuses you could make to explain why it's just not possible for you.Don't be lured by the temptation of the drive-thru, and avoid puttingyourself in situations where the temptation to eat poorly is theeasiest option. As soon as you start making excuses for yourself,you've lost. In truth, successful people are always the ones whopersisted despite any obstacles or challenges that stood before them.Life will always get in the way, so make being healthy a necessity, nota choice. If you can schedule a time to work out every day, then youcan certainly coordinate an appropriate eating schedule as well.

Chicken Soup For The Soul

2010-06-07T07:11:00Z

Chicken Soup Recipe Click Here

Fad Diets Are Out!

2010-06-02T23:44:00Z

Fad Diets Are Out!

Weight loss diets used to be all the rage, but they seem to have lost their grip on American's collective stomach. What has taken their place and why?

Join The Club For Free!

Surviving The Desk Job: How to Stay Healthy at Work

2010-05-31T01:02:00Z

Surviving the Desk Job: How to Stay Healthy at Work

By Stephanie S. Saunders

When we started school, oh so many years ago, no one had to explainto us that the human body was not designed to sit in a chair for 8hours at a time. Somehow, we inherently knew that we needed recess,physical education, lunch, and even naptime. Even that walk uphill,both ways, in the snow, barefoot, was just part of what we needed todo. So we worked all of those years, graduated to our dream job, andended up sitting in a cubicle for 8 hours without moving. Sure, we usethe facilities, maybe go out to lunch, but mostly we sit on ourbacksides with horrible posture and stare at a computer screen. Ataround 4 PM, we begin to search for a pick-me-up, and end up eatingcandy and soda from the break room. Sure, at age 12, we thought freejunk food was like winning the lottery. But as adults, we end upfeeling flat-out yucky. We vow that tomorrow will be different, but weare so exhausted from a sedentary lifestyle, that change seemsimpossible.

The good news is that a desk job does not have to be so stagnant. Ifsomething in motion stays in motion, then we need to find ways to keepmoving. And with a bit of food preparation, we can actually avoid theSnickers^® bar. Let's look at some ways to stay healthy at work.

Get Out of that Chair

Sometimesit seems impossible to step away from your desk. People in Hollywoodget fired for missing a call, an email, or taking too long a lunch.Here is the deal: They cannot fire you for standing up, going to thebathroom, or getting more water from the cooler. If your workplace isnot completely rigid, switching your chair out for a Swiss ball a fewtimes a day can make a huge difference in your posture. Even juststanding up next to your desk can give your back the break fromcompressing that it desperately needs. So stand up, roll your shouldersback a few times, and breathe deeply. Go fill up a water bottle, whichwill give you even more reasons to stand up, as you will need therestroom. And set a timer to go off once an hour, so that you rememberto do it. Sometimes that Excel^® spreadsheet is so fascinating, we forget about everything else. (Yeah, right.)

Speaker or Tweaker?

Did you realize your phone can be dangerous? No, this is not alecture on driving with cell phones. Cradling a phone to your shoulderfor extended periods of time can actually lead to misalignment,strains, and slipped discs. They still make fancy phones with a cradlefor your shoulder, but they don't extend quite high enough. Try awireless or corded variety of headset, which sometimes can be lessexpensive than their Bluetooth^®cousins. Forty bucks on a headset is better than multiple trips to thechiropractor. Or if what you are discussing is not sensitive, put theperson on speakerphone. The coworker next to you might not appreciateit, but your neck will.

Stretch

You can stretch your entire body in a cubicle—a lot of it whilesitting down. Here are some stretching options, which will releaselactic acid buildup and help with structural alignment.

Neck: Lean right ear to right shoulder until you feel a stretch along the left side of your neck, hold for 10 seconds, switch to the other side. Lower chin to chest until you feel a stretch along the back of your neck, hold for 10 seconds. Lift chin toward ceiling, until you feel a stretch along the front of your throat, hold for 10 seconds. Look over your right shoulder, hold for 10 seconds and then over your left.
Shoulders: Extend both arms over head, interlace fingers, turn palms, and push up. Then interlace fingers with palms up behind back, lean forward slightly from waist, and lift arms away from your body.
Arms: Extend arm straight across your body, grasp forearm, and pull extended arm toward your body. Repeat with other arm. Then sit up in your chair, open your knees, and place your palms flat on the chair between them, with your fingertips facing you, and thumbs toward your knees. Push down on your flat palms.
Chest: Lift both arms out to the side, creating a "T" with them. Bend at the elbows, so your hands are going straight up to the ceiling, and you resemble a football goalpost. Pull your elbows back and hold.
Back: Sit up as tall as you can, and pull in your stomach muscles to your spine. Extend one arm across to the opposite arm of the chair, and twist. Hold for 10 seconds, and switch to the other side.
Quadriceps/Hamstrings: Stand at your desk. Bend one knee behind you, lifting your foot off the floor and catching it with the same hand. Don't lock your supporting leg; hips tucked under, and both knees together. Switch to other leg. Then place one foot on the desk in front of you, keeping the foot flexed and the knee straight. Put fingertips on leg, or desk, and with a flat spine, lean forward. If that isn't possible, flex one foot on floor in front of you, and lean forward with a flat spine.
Calves: Stand arms' length away from your desk, both toes facing the desk. Step forward with one foot, and bending the knee, keeping the back knee straight and pushing down in the heel. Switch.
Feet: Remove shoes if possible. Stand in front of desk. Form a "V" with your feet, heels together and toes pointed out at slight angles. Bend knees first, then lift up your heels, and hold for 5 seconds. Straighten knees and lower heels. Repeat 5 times.

Exercise Your Options

The following office exercise options are chair-based exercises forour more modest readers. If you are less aware of the stare, try addingsome push-ups, sit-ups, lunges, dips, and squats to this routine. Ifyou have an office with a door that closes, get yourself INSANITY^® right now and skip this entire section. For the following exercises, you'll need an exercise band, like the flat Thera-Band^® variety, which can easily be stored in your desk. And if your chair wheels easily, put the brake on now.

Chest press: Place band around back of chair, looping the ends of the band in each hand. Sit on the edge of your chair with abs pulled in tight, and straight posture. Press arms straight out in front of you, keeping them parallel to the ground. Hold for 2 counts. Fold elbows in and bring back of hands to chest. Repeat 10 times. Can also be used as chest fly, by slightly bending elbows and bringing hands together in front of you, like you are hugging a tree.
Row: Wrap resistance band around the leg of your desk. Sit facing it, both feet on ground, and abs pulled in. Grab one end of band in each hand; bend your arms and slide your elbows back, grazing the sides of your body. Hold for 2 counts, and return your arms to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.
Lateral raises: Sit on the edge of your chair, place both feet on the center of the band, and take an end of the band in each hand. Keeping a very slight bend in the elbow joint, bring both arms out to your sides creating a "T" with them. Hold for 2 counts, and lower your arms back to the sides of your legs. Repeat 10 times.
Posterior deltoid exercise: Hold band, hands 9 to 12 inches apart. Extend arms straight out in front of you, chest level, rolling shoulders back and down, keeping elbows as straight as possible. Open up arms to your sides, hold for 2 counts, and return your arms to the straight position. Repeat 10 times.
Curls: Sit on edge of chair and place both feet in center of band, or wrap band under the legs of the chair. Grab one end of band in each hand. Keeping elbows glued to your sides, bend both elbows and bring hands up toward shoulders. Hold for 2 counts, and lower your hands. Repeat 10 times.
Tricep extensions: Wrap band low around desk leg, and face away from it. Reach behind you, grab ends of band in each hand, and extend both hands to ceiling, with thumbs facing behind you. Hold for 2 counts. Keeping your elbows exactly where they are, let elbows bend slowly until hands reach ears. Extend arms straight toward ceiling again. Repeat 10 times.
Knee abs: Sit on edge of chair, tuck pelvis under slightly, and draw abs deeply into your spine. Lift your heels off the ground, and lift one knee at a time. For a super challenge, lift both knees at the same time, making sure to maintain a C-curve in your spine (keep your abs firmly tucked in). Repeat 10 times.
Leg extensions: Tie one end of band around the base of your chair. Tie the opposing end around your ankle. Sit firmly on chair, keeping backs of legs pressed into the chair. Extend wrapped leg out in front of you until knee is straight. Hold for 2 counts, and lower your leg. Repeat 10 times for each leg.
Hamstring curl: Wrap one end of band under leg of desk, up as high as it can go with other end of band tied to your ankle. Sit facing desk, on edge of chair, and extend leg toward desk. Bend knee and pull foot underneath you. Hold for 2 counts, and return to straight leg position. Repeat 10 times, and switch to other leg.

Chew on This

Anounce of prevention might be a pound of cure, but 4 ounces of carrotsticks will never be as tempting as that bowl of M&M's^® on your coworker's desk. So how do we avoid it? A handful of nuts, a protein bar ,or some low-fat trail mix might not remove the craving, but they'llmake your hunger dissipate until your next meal, and they don't requirerefrigeration. You can keep them in your desk at all times. So insteadof the bowl, five M&M's might be enough.

Keep Water on Desk

Besides the previously mentioned reason to drink water (getting youout of your chair), hydration in an office setting is sorelyoverlooked. Your body requires a lot of water, even if you're stuck ina chair. Being well hydrated keeps you mentally alert, flushes outtoxins from air conditioning, and will sometimes help with foodcravings. So drink up.

Get out

This next tip totally depends on your employer. Most offices have atleast a few smokers in them. How come they get to go outside and talkabout their weekend, in the sunshine, several times a day? Just becauseyou don't spend 8 dollars a day on cigarettes doesn't mean you can'ttake a moment and get some fresh air in your lungs. If your bosscomplains, scream discrimination against nonsmokers. Or you could pickup some candy cigarettes and pretend, as long as you avoid eating them.

It is no surprise that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 67percent of the population as being unhappy with their career choices.Is this because we all have chosen the wrong careers? Or is it simplythat most office workers would rather be outside playing tetherball? Asyou are well aware, it's difficult to pay the mortgage unless you go towork. But there are many things you can do, while remaining at work,that will keep you feeling better than a Snickers will. Maybe if we alltake a few minutes a day to take care of ourselves, that workplacecontentment statistic might drop a little. And if that doesn't work, atleast we can avoid the horizontal spread of our back ends. Now that issomething to be happy about.

Do You Need Shakes and What's The Difference?

2010-05-30T00:33:00Z

Why Do I Need Shakes At All?

In the market today there is literally thousands of weight loss products to choose from. Leading this industry is weight loss shakes. These are normally high protein meal replacement shakes that make you feel full and provide the protien that is needed to build muscle and lose weight.

There is only one thing that burns fat and that is muscle, the only thing that builds muscle is protien. So in order to burn more fat to lose weight you must workout to build muscle, and supplement your diet with clean proteins to build muscle.

Now comes the hefty choice of what protien shakes or meal replacement shakes to use. The overall best is going to have a low caloric count, have plentiful protein, amino acids, digestive enzymes, prebiotics, vitamins and minerals, phytonutrients, antioxidants, all of these should be in the shake you choose to substitute a meal for.

Bottom line is that if you really want to make your weight loss goal fast and permanent then you need to supplement your nutrition.

What's The Difference?

The difference between shakes on the market is HUGE! Most that you will find in the market place will have a few things of quality in them but for the most part they are all lacking the complete package that is necessary to insure you the best results. With exception to one shake on the market today! Shakeology is the shake that has it all. Doctors from around the world are using the shake themselves and recommending it to their patients. These doctors were not paid for their opinions either. It is becoming a real market disrupter, meaning that companies are worried about the huge results that it brings along with the scientific evidence that it is far superior to anything ever produced to date. See what 25 doctors are currently saying about Shakeology here.

There is a difference in shakes and when making a decision about which one to use don't let price be the determining factor in your choice. You can get alot of things for a dollar at the dollar store but that doesn't make them worth the dollar you spent. It is well known that things of higher quality cost more money. The same is true in nutritional shakes and supplements. Shop for the best nutritional supplements and nutrition shakes from reputable sources that have guarantees and proven results.

10 Tips to Not Gain Weight While Dating

2010-05-28T15:59:00Z

10 Tips to Not Gain Weight While Dating

By Stephanie S. Saunders

Fallingin love. Perhaps the most extraordinary feeling a person can experiencewithout psychotropic drugs. It's an all-consuming state of being thattakes us to our highest highs and lowest lows. But in the whirlwind ofmeeting the person of your dreams, sometimes you focus on your heartand lose sight of your waistline. Yes, the dreaded dating dozen is thesister of the freshman fifteen, but hopefully with higher-quality foodinvolved. Are you someone who tends to put on a few as soon as youstart seeing someone new? Why does this happen, and how can we avoidit? What about those of us who save the weight gain for the demise ofthe relationship, also known as Ben and Jerry Therapy? Let's take alook at dating on a diet.

Itis fairly traditional to go out to dinner and a movie when you firststart spending time with someone. You don't want to look like the"weirdo who only eats salad" so you let loose a little bit. Perhaps youhave a drink or five to continue on the loosening process. If this wasfor only one night, besides the imminent hangover, it'd be just fine.But when you really like someone, and you're happy, you might shed youreating inhibitions for quite some time. He or she might like you forwho you are, and not care about a few extra pounds, which is not reallya bad thing. But as we all know, if the cycle continues, you can losesight of your fitness goals and end up feeling like you just finishedyour first year in college, only this time with a few added wrinkles.

Let's look at some ways to keep the love alive, without damage to your thighs.

Talk about it. Communication is one of the pillars of any great relationship. This doesn't mean you need to go into a diatribe about your bad habits with food on the very first date. Again, being the crazy person who spends 20 minutes discussing carbohydrate vs. fat grams upon first meeting might leave your future phone calls unanswered. But if this is Mr. or Ms. Right, talk to them about your diet and fitness goals. Explain why you are working out like crazy and that the trip through the Jack in the Box^® drive-through might not be your best date option. If they can't be supportive of your healthy choices, this is probably not who you want to spend forever with.
Plan activity dates. Why does a date have to be dinner and drinks? The answer is, it doesn't. With a bit of creativity, you can take the focus off food, and do something that might help the two of you get to know each other while you're not inebriated. Plan dates that have activities as the focus, and simply eat before you leave the house. Try hiking, bowling, mini-golf, dog walking, visiting museums, playing a board game, getting a massage, playing on a playground, making pottery, throwing a Frisbee^®, or sitting together and thinking of more fun, creative ideas. You will learn a lot about the person you are with, like if they get really upset when you cream them at mini-golf. And, more importantly, you will stick to your eating plan.
Cook meals at home. Again, this is not a suggestion for a first date, because having someone in your home that you do not know is never wise. But if you begin to spend a lot of time together, cooking together can be a fun, sexy activity that can save you a lot of money and calories. Grilling up some chicken or fish and steaming some veggies and brown rice is incredibly simple, and it tastes fantastic. Throw in some candlelight and soft music, and it's as if you were in a 5-star restaurant, only you don't need to be concerned about public displays of affection. And if you can talk your significant other into doing the dishes, it is a perfect date.
Picnics. For those of us who prefer getting out of the house, a picnic is always a fun alternative, unless you live in Alaska and it's January. In that case, we suggest you enjoy the picnic on the rug, inside a building. With a picnic, you have control over what goes into the basket, and into your mouth. Pack a bunch of different cut-up fruits, vegetables, low-fat cheese, and whole wheat crackers. Bring either low-fat dressing or hummus to dip the veggies in. A lovely tablecloth, some music—you have a date to remember.
Choose wisely. So your date has been dying to try the latest hot spot for dinner. Don't rain on the parade, but be very smart when attending. Remember that steamed, broiled, or grilled items are usually healthier than fried, sautéed, or baked-in-cheese-sauce ones. Look for lean cuts of meat, dressings on the side, and avoid the bread basket. If you want to be very prepared, see if the restaurant has a Web site, which will usually have a menu, and decide what will be healthiest in advance. There are a ton of Web sites with calorie counters that can help you make your choices. If the restaurant doesn't have a Web site, call and ask them to fax a copy of the menu. Sometimes preparedness is the best defense.
Avoid the snack bar. Movie theaters, sporting events, and concerts all have one horrible thing in common. No, it's not bad parking. It's concession stands. Whoever originally chose the menu for snack bars must be eight years old, as elsewhere, most adults hardly ever eat nachos, hot dogs, fat-infused popcorn, greasy little pizzas, and pretzels larger than their heads. The best possible choice in situations where you will be faced with a concession stand is to eat first. There's usually nothing of great nutritional value at these places, and even a seemingly innocent small popcorn with butter can pack 630 calories and 50 grams of fat! Grab a cup of water and run for your seat!
Buy date clothes. We all want to look attractive for our special someone. Oftentimes, a new, flattering, and slightly sexy outfit can transform you into an irresistible creature that makes your date desire you all the more. I'm not suggesting you wear a Speedo^® with a sports coat, but more formfitting clothing has the ability to keep you aware of your waistline. I was once told that if I wanted to eat ice cream, I should do it while wearing a bikini. I stopped after three bites.
Work out first/on the date. It has been repeatedly proven that we tend to eat less and store less fat when we have a rigorous workout before a meal. Before a date, exercise can give us the added endorphins to feel fantastic and make us look our very best in the moment. Also, consider exercising with your new partner. Watching them try to conquer an INSANITY^® plyometrics workout will give you a good gauge of their persistence and a good indication of what they look like with no makeup and messed-up hair.
Make alcohol less of a focus. Limiting the amount of alcohol we consume on a date can be challenging. Having cocktails is fun, and it lowers our inhibitions, so getting to know someone becomes much easier. On the other side of the coin, alcohol packs on a lot of excess calories, and might make us get to know someone too quickly. One margarita or cosmopolitan can add 400 calories to an evening. Try to plan dates that are not "bar focused" (see #2), but if you end up somewhere celebrating, lean toward wine, light beer, champagne, and anything not mixed with a ton of sugar.
If he/she is all wrong. Relationships can be incredibly complicated, and sometimes they just fall apart. If this unfortunate experience occurs for you, try not to let your sorrows drown in a vat of ice cream. Comfort food can be, well, comforting, but can also do residual damage that will make you feel even worse in the long run. It is pretty awful to work your tail off for months to reach a certain level of fitness, and have it all slip away because some jerk could not see what an incredible catch you are. Take all of that excess frustration and go on a run or a hike, lift weights, or do a P90X^® workout.

Emotionaleating is usually considered a negative reaction to a stressful or sadexperience, which dating can sometimes be. But often, we eat incelebration of life, and the amazing person we have finally met. In allof the new emotions we encounter, in both the beginning and sometimesending of a relationship, make sure you never lose sight ofyourself—you, who has worked your tail off to get where you are. Keepup all of the good work, and remember that finding and keeping thatperfect person is so much easier to do when you feel good aboutyourself.

Join The Club!