Fitness4Her

Women's Fitness

Health Matters: A Journal’s Tale of Wellness

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What stories do you like to tell about your life? Do you give basic accounts of past events or does your life story read like a romance novel? One thing is for certain—when it comes to our health no one wants a twisted mystery or a horror tale.{+}

Your fitness journal can be your own private story of your eating habits and your fitness level. As you write your goals each week, you are adding a very fundamental factor to your complete wellness program. The anticipation alone can boost your spirit.

There are three major components to the Fitness4Her Diet and Exercise Program. Diet, everything you eat; the Exercise, including strength training and cardio exercises; and the Journal to record your results. Each of these parts is equally important for the success of the whole fitness plan.

So how does this translate into a tale of wellness? Because healthy eating combined with regular exercise and activity provides a multitude of health benefits. As a matter of fact, I’ve dug up some really great reasons why both exercise and a balanced diet should be part of your life story.

Your Diet
You have examined your present way of eating and have decided to make healthy changes in your food choices. But do you know that diet is more than just about the food you eat? It’s also about your eating habits, as we talked about earlier in Part 1 of the Fitness4Her Diet.

You are the one in control of your life. Everything that you eat, results from a decision that you have made. It is up to you to make the necessary changes that you want to live with and that will help you live better.

You can make healthy choices about what you eat and still take pleasure in your food. Eating should be a celebratory time and never laden with guilt. Feelings of guilt will only make you feel disappointed in yourself. Keep in mind that food is not the problem; food is the answer. Your diet is your way of life; it is what sustains you and makes you whole.

Obesity can be avoided, or overcome, by an understanding of simple principles. These principles are the basis of the Fitness4Her Diet.

1. Eat often, but eat in small portions.

2. Don’t skip meals.

3. Don’t forget your fiber.

4. Eat plenty of protein, but get it from lean sources.

5. Within reason, eat as many servings of fresh fruits and vegetables as possible.

6. Reduce your intake of refined carbohydrates.

7. Reduce dietary fat generally, and particularly reduce unhealthy saturated fat.

8. Reduce your intake of salt.

9. Avoid alcohol.

10. Drink plenty of water.

11. Take a good multi-vitamin.

12. Counting calories … for those who must.

Be sure to read Explaining the Diet Principles for an in-depth look into how these principles can work to end your diet woes. Logical and sensible, they are easy enough for anyone to follow.

Your Exercise
So now we take a look at why exercise is so important. We know that exercise plays a significant role in weight loss but there are many other benefits that regular physical activity provides.

1. Exercise improves your mood. Ever notice how great a walk or a bike ride feels after a stressful day? That’s because exercise releases endorphins into your bloodstream, which helps to lift your spirits and get rid of the blues. You’ll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Regular physical activity can even help prevent depression.
2. Exercise fights chronic diseases. If you’re worried about heart disease, cholesterol, osteoporosis, or high-blood pressure, exercise might be the solution. Regular physical activity can also help you prevent type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.

3. Exercise helps you burn calories and manage your weight. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn and the easier it is to keep your weight under control. Although Fitness4Her is not based on calorie counting, exercise is a crucial component to my diet and fitness plan.

4. Exercise energizes you. Physical activity delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and regular physical activity helps your entire cardiovascular system. When your heart and lungs are working efficiently, you have more energy to work and play.

5. Exercise helps you sleep better. Regular exercise and physical activity help many women to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

Regular physical activity can help protect you from the following health problems.

• Heart Disease
• Stroke
• High Blood Pressure
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Obesity
• Osteoporosis
• Depression
• Poor Self Esteem
• Disability

Your Journal
It has been proven time and again, that people who keep a journal of everything they eat and drink and record all of their physical activity have a far greater chance at a successful fitness program than those who do not.

Hopefully, I’ve convinced you about the health benefits that a balanced diet of nutrient-rich food and regular exercise offer. If you are interested in a wellness program that will help to protect you from disease, obesity, and depression, while providing health, weight control and confidence take the 90-Day Challenge to Empower Beauty®.

Participate in my diet and exercise plan and keep a journal of your results for at least 90 days. Write down your goals each week, and use that as a guide to keep you focused. Record everything you eat and drink and all of your activities and monitor how well these practices are working for you. If you keep track daily, and reexamine your results each week, you’ll be able to determine what works for you and what doesn’t.

Maintaining your fitness journal really is the key to success. Because I care about you, I hope your journal becomes a true tale of wellness. Happy Journaling.

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Warm Greetings Glad Tidings and Fitness 4Ever

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This time of year is very dear to me. I enjoy all of the fun festivities and adore sharing the season with my family and friends. It’s a time filled with love, happiness and good cheer. Warm hearts, succulent meats and sweet treats will certainly abound over the next few days.

There is nothing quite like family and seeing everyone healthy and safe is really the only gift that matters. Know too, that you are loved and your health is very important. That is what Fitness4Her is all about. That’s the reason for this website. To express love and offer support to women everywhere as they move toward their goal of health and fitness.

As you celebrate the holidays, I hope that you will keep fitness in mind. Whether you are a stickler when it comes to your diet and exercise program or you choose to put it on hold during the next few days, keep a positive attitude about exercising and eating healthy.

If you are worried about getting back into your fitness routine, it might help to make a written plan of the exact date when you will begin to exercise again. This will serve as a gentle but firm reminder to keep you on track.

Try not to overindulge and remember to enjoy the holidays. Challenge your relatives to a relay race, a bike ride, a game of volley ball or a snow ball fight. Get everyone involved, even the kids.

I sincerely hope that each of you has a joyous, love filled holiday and I wish you all good health, much wealth, and lots of cheer in the coming New Year!

xoxo ~Karen

Baked Smoked Chili Fries and Grilled Turkey Burgers

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For a fast healthy dinner that’s better than fast food, try this take on delicious chili fries and burgers. Chili fries are great as a snack, or for entertaining. Serve ’em up with delicious and nutritious turkey burgers that you grill at home. Your kids and their friends are sure to love them.

Chili Fries
4 medium baking potatoes, cut lengthwise into eights
1 Tbsp olive oil
Chili powder
Pinch salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Lightly coat potatoes with olive oil
3. Sprinkle with chili powder, salt and pepper
4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes

Turkey Burgers
I buy the Jennie O brand of turkey patties. They are so easy. Just sprinkle with garlic on each side and grill the burgers over medium heat. Cook about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

No buns, just eat with lettuce, tomato and onion.

Health Benefits
The turkey burgers are an excellent source of protein, with little saturated fat. Low sodium, low cholesterol, no sugar. French fries don’t have to be bad, especially when they are baked in the oven. Potatoes are high in potassium and vitamin C. A good source of plant protein, without any fat.

Mmm!  Doesn’t this recipe sound good?  Tell us what you think by leaving a comment below:

Explaining the Exercise Principles – Part 4

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Welcome to Part 4 of Explaining the Exercise Principles. This post concludes the explanation of all 10 principles that are the foundation of my 30 Minutes to a New You exercise program.
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In Part 1 I discussed the benefits of exercise, the amount of time needed to get results and the crucial element of training your brain for success. In Part 2 we covered the areas of exercise in my 30 Minutes to a New You program. How resistance training will work for you, the fun that can be had from aerobic exercise and the necessity for stretching before and after your daily workout.

Part 3 of Explaining the Exercise Principles began with your body’s center, the core. We discussed the benefits of a strong core and how it would beautify your body. We concluded that post by talking about the importance of a good night’s sleep.

In this post we will look at body image versus the number on the scale and why the amount you weigh is not the only indicator that exercise is working for you. We will close this post by talking about the most important and all-encompassing benefit of exercise. I’m talking about Empowering Beauty. Read on to find out how.

9. Look at the mirror, not at the scale–muscle weighs more than fat.
All too often, we judge our physical health by how much we weigh. What a mistake! The number on a scale will only give you a limited assessment of what your physical health really is. Your body weight is comprised of the weight of your bones, organs, muscles, connective tissues, fluids and yes, fat. Do you know your body fat percentage?

Now, there are costly scales that calibrate fat, certified trainers that can perform skin fold tests, and sports performance labs that use dunk tanks for the most accurate body fat percentage assessment. Whew! Thankfully, there’s a simpler way to determine your body fat percentage.

Invest in a full-length mirror, you’ll enjoy seeing your entire body change as you progress through the 30 Minutes To A New You exercise program. Standing naked in front of your mirror, can you see your muscles below the surface of the skin? Some areas of a woman’s body naturally hold more fat than other areas so don’t be too critical. Will most women see cellulite on the backs of their thighs and their buttocks? Of course! Don’t be alarmed, you’re a woman!! What you need to be concerned with is the amount of muscle definition you see throughout your body.

The more you exercise the bigger your muscles will get. You will begin to lose fat but you may not see a big difference in the number on the scale. There are a couple of reasons for that.

• A pound of muscle is much smaller in size than a pound of fat. As you build muscle your body starts to look better before you see a significant change in the number on the scale.
• Right after a workout, you may even appear to gain weight. This is most likely caused from water retention, and will go away throughout the day.

What’s important is whether or not you are happy with the way you look and feel, and if you feel like you are improving your fitness and strength. Exercise works, and every minute of movement will benefit your health in some way. Weight loss through working out may be slower than you want, but its effects can last a lifetime.

So tell me this, are your clothes getting a little loose? Do you see the change in your muscle definition throughout your body? These are true signs that you are shedding the fat.

Remember, just because someone loses a lot of weight doesn’t mean that they are physically fit and weight loss alone does not constitute a healthy fitness plan.

Many women are underweight and find gaining weight as big a problem as others have at losing weight. A regular fitness program can benefit women of all sizes and shapes. Building muscle is important to offset diseases like Osteoporosis or arthritis. The stronger your muscles surrounding your bones and joints become, the less stress is applied to these vulnerable areas.

10. Exercise empowers the beauty in you.
The benefits of exercise go far beyond a beautiful physique. When you change your body, it changes your life.

Exercise helps to restore passion. I feel passionate about life and embrace each day as a blessing. I believe that exercise has empowered the beauty within me. The happiness that I feel from regular exercise transcends into the other parts of my life.

As you become more physically fit, your hormones will align in perfect balance. Did you know that food cravings can be the result of a hormonal imbalance? Regular exercise accompanied by a balanced diet will help to blow away the blues, for a happier you. Balanced hormones can help to put a little spark in your libido, too.

You’ll become smarter as your activity level increases. Exercise boosts brainpower by building new cells that control memory and learning. Don’t believe the myth that people who exercise are muscle heads and aren’t very smart, regular exercise stimulates every part of your body, including your mind.

Physical interaction and a greater interest in sex have been some positive side effects to exercise. The more active you become the better lover you will be. Read my post, Say Yes to Sex, to learn all the many benefits that sex provides.

Exercise will provide significant benefits to your lifestyle and can change the way you entertain yourself. You may discover that you’re spending less time in front of the television and more time engaged in physical activity.

Indulge yourself by going outdoors, taking a walk, riding your bike, or going out dancing. No matter what your favorite activity, you will find that exercise truly changes your life and will empower the beauty in you.

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Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Cucumber-Tomato Salad with Basil and Chickpeas

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Talk about delicious! This is a great dish no matter what the weather. Cukes and tomatoes are always cool, but the chickpeas make this dish kind of warm and cozy.

1 can 15 oz.
1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
4-5 tomatoes cut into wedges
2 Tbsp. of chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup champagne vinegar/or any vinegar & oil for dressing

Directions
1. Drain Chick Peas
2. Add together in bowl, chick peas, cucumber, tomato and basil.
3. Go light on the dressing, let the natural juices of the salad work together.

Health Benefits
High in fiber and great source of protein, chickpeas are a healthy addition to your diet. Helps to lower cholesterol and improve sugar levels. Of course the tomatoes are full of antioxidants and are excellent for digestion. The scent of basil gets my mouth watering, especially when paired with the tomato.

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