Fitness4Her

Women's Fitness

Archives for July 2009

Eat Plenty of Protein From Lean Sources

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Protein is of course healthy and necessary, but just because a food is high in protein doesn’t mean that the food itself is healthy—especially when the protein comes in a food high in saturated fat. Lean sources of protein are egg whites, soy, products made from wheat gluten, vegetables (yes, vegetables contain protein; romaine lettuce contains more protein per calorie than meat), lean cuts of chicken, turkey or fish. Bake, broil, or grill your chicken, turkey, or fish, so as to prepare them without added fat. Nuts and seeds are also valuable protein sources, and while they also contain fat, it’s healthy fat. So they are included as valuable protein sources, but don’t overindulge on the nuts.

There is a common myth that animal protein is superior to plant protein; it is not, and a good case has been made (by T. Colin Campbell in The China Study) that the reverse is true. If you don’t have an allergy to soy, then tofu and tempeh are excellent soy-derived sources of protein. All types of beans provide abundant protein, and unlike meat, they are low in fat without the unhealthy saturated fat that causes heart problems.

Be careful to choose some sources of protein that are also high in calcium, a mineral important particularly to women. The most common dietary recommendation given by the medical community regarding calcium is to eat dairy products.

If you choose to get your calcium from dairy, opt for skim milk, yogurt, and low-fat cheese. But dairy isn’t the only ample source of calcium to be found. Here are some other good sources: sardines, clams, oysters, broccoli, kale, mustard greens, beans, tofu, chick peas. Still other good sources of calcium, although not high in protein, are dried figs and calcium-fortified orange juice. Keep in mind that the plant sources of calcium contain healthy fiber, whereas dairy and fish do not.

Do have any good protein-packed recipes you’d like to share?  Tell us in the comment space:

Positive Gratitude Overcomes The Negativity of Guilt

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Are you holding on to regrets of the past? Have you refused to forgive yourself for failing to be perfect? Do you dwell on disappointment? Is all this negativity putting a strain on your health and well-being?

Break free from all the torture and pain of regret and disillusionment. Refuse to be a prisoner of the past. You cannot undo anything that has already happened. Leave the past in the past. While you might not be able to do much about something you did wrong yesterday, you can do much to make things right today.

Start each morning with gratitude in your heart. Take some time each day to meditate on all of the positive things in your life. Your mental and physical health, your appearance, your husband, boyfriend or lover, your family, friends and pets, be thankful for all of these and more. Dwell on your gratitude that you have a home, a car, clothes and food, in every thing, give thanks. Knowing that for every blessing you have there are other people who have much less.

While it may be true that you probably don’t have everything you desire, I’ll bet by taking time to be thankful of what you do have, you realize just how lucky you are. It is hard to be angry or stressed out when your spirit is in a gracious mood. By focusing on your blessings, you open your heart and mind to receive even more.

Don’t waste another minute on things you cannot change. Set your mind on things that you can change, how you can make your life and those around you better and what you will do to bring about those improvements.

If you would like to change the way that you look, take charge of your health and fitness, lose weight and get in shape, join Fitness4Her today. It doesn’t matter how many diets you have tried in the past. I believe in you and am cheering you on. Believe it and Achieve it!

Why not share some positive affirmations with us and our readers in the comment space below?

Sticking to Your Fitness Plan

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So, you bought the gym membership months ago, and you’ve been there how many times? Enough to not resent the monthly fee you’re dishing out?

Well, if you’re like most people, the answer is probably no. And you’re not getting any help from your gym either. Unfortunately, many commercialized gyms have one goal in mind and that’s selling gym memberships. It’s actually advantageous to them if you buy a year’s membership and then never use it.

So, before you go the expensive route of joining that fancy gym, you need to really focus on why you want to stay fit and create an exercise routine that will work for you. Do you want to lose weight? If so, what happens when you do lose that weight? Will you just give up or keep at it? Do you just want to be healthy? Gain muscle? Tone your body?

The first step to starting a fitness plan that will last is sitting down with a notebook and writing out your goals. Just like you would do with a life goals plan, decide where you want to be in three months, six months, and a year in terms of your weight. Then carefully decide how you are going to get there. Keep a journal of your fitness plan and slowly work in intervals of fitness into your daily routine. Remember, it takes about 30 days for a routine to set, so keep at it until you can do it without even thinking about it.

Think about when the best time is for you to get in your exercise. Are you a morning person? Can you do it on your lunch hour, or is it better to do it when you come home from work. Pick whichever time you are most likely to not skip. If it’s hard for you to get out of bed in the morning, don’t pick that time to exercise. You’re more likely to sacrifice that time in exchange for hitting the snooze button.

Pick out your workout clothes the night before and have them ready and waiting for you. If you’re going to exercise at night when you come home from work, set your clothes out and change into them as soon as you come home, right down to your sneakers. Once you have the proper clothes and shoes on, this will tell your brain that it’s time to workout and you’ll find less excuses to skip your workout session.

There are many little tricks that you can use to help stick to a workout plan. The key is to find out what works for you and what will keep you motivated. If you’re going to skip a workout, make sure that you make that time up later in the week. If there are no consequences to skipping it will be all too easy to skip another, and another. With careful diligence and a drive to reach your goals, you’ll find that sticking to your fitness routine will become much easier over time.

Share some tips about sticking to your fitness plan in the comment space below:

Program Your Mind For Fitness

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When you think about losing weight and getting in shape, are you focusing on the past or are you looking to the future? Concentrating on failures of yesterday cannot change anything. No one has the power to alter the circumstances that took place previously. Nor can we predict the future. However, what we do today has a great impact on what will take place tomorrow.

Eating well today, getting plenty of rest, avoiding alcohol and stimulants and maintaining a regular exercise program can make all the difference in the world with your health not only today but well into the future.

If you knew it would save a friend’s life if you devoted just thirty minutes each day to helping her get well, would you be willing to sacrifice that time? I hope your answer is yes. If you are the giving, humane person that I think you are, then you probably did answer yes. Well then, donate that thirty minutes to your own health.

That’s right, by setting aside only thirty minutes each day for exercise, your body can get all of the cardio stimulation it needs to stay healthy. Combine this routine with a balanced diet to lose weight and get in ultimate shape.

Your body is your temple. It is the only one you will get in this lifetime. Though we can’t control all diseases, we can make smart choices that are sure to improve our health. But to get to this point, we must start with our focus.

Start by programming your mind for success. Get an image of the way you want your body to look. Concentrate on what you need to do to bring your dream to fruition. Develop and execute a plan of action. Keep yourself focused on your results.

In no time at all, you will be on your way to victory.

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Foods That Make You Pretty

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Did you know that some foods can enhance a woman’s beauty? Foods high in anti-oxidants and vitamins have anti-aging properties that benefit the complexion. A variety of other foods help to minimize wrinkles, improve eyesight and whiten the teeth.

Berries, especially strawberries are excellent sources of polyphenols, anti-oxidants that help to re-build collagen for increased skin elasticity. This helps to keep your face from sagging.

Leafy greens such as spinach help to fight acne. High levels of iron and zinc make this veggie a must for a pretty face. Iron helps to alleviate dark circles under eyes while zinc is beneficial in breaking down old collagen leaving room for new collagen to form.

Ripe red tomatoes are packed full of high levels of the antioxidant vitamins A and C as well as skin cancer-fighting chemicals. Vitamin C helps keep skin elastic and prevents bruising. Vitamin A aids in healing acne from the inside out by boosting our resistance to infection.

Sardines are teeming with face-friendly omega-3 fatty acids that are responsible for doing everything from attacking arid areas to deflating inflamed zits. These essential fatty acids battle collagen-damaging free radicals and help smooth out fine lines. Dermatologists recommend eating fish three times a week. If you don’t like seafood, you can try a fish-oil supplement for some of these benefits. Or try adding flaxseed (alsi) oil and nuts to your diet. Fatty fish and nuts also contain zinc, which helps control acne flare-ups and encourages cell growth.

Crunch into a carrot if you want clear eyes with minimal wrinkling around the edges. Chock full of beta-carotene, carrots as well as sweet potatoes and other orange fruits and vegetables help to control dry, flaky skin, too.

Oatmeal is a wonder source of fiber and helps to rid your body of toxins. Rich in vitamin B, this tasty cereal can keep your complexion clear and pretty.

Soy is a super skin saver. Loaded with vitamin E, which boosts the growth of new cells. It’s full of chemicals that act like estrogen in the body, helping to rid the skin of acne for a clear complexion.

Have you been eating any of the foods that make you pretty?  What’s your experience been?  Tell us and our readers about it in the comment space below: