Fitness4Her

Women's Fitness

Reduce, Replenish and Recharge Your Diet

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If you want to lose weight and manage it for the rest of your life, then you’ve got to be willing to make changes to the way you are living. Reduce, replenish and recharge your diet by reducing some foods, replenishing your diet with good, healthy foods and recharging your metabolism with foods that energize your body.

Foods that are high in sugar not only add pounds, studies indicate that too much sugar interferes with the body’s ability to get rid of toxins. Sugar has inflammatory properties, too. Sugar robs the body of vitamin B, causing your body to take vitamin B from your liver, kidneys and heart.

Eating foods high in carbohydrates puts a tremendous amount of stress on the heart. Because the kidneys have to work extra hard to metabolize sugar, this in turn makes the heart work harder. Eating sugar late at night or before going to bed puts additional stress on your heart and kidneys when they should be at rest.

Foods with a high level of refined and processed carbohydrates raise sugar levels very quickly, and this includes most breads. White bread and white rice are both culprits. Reduce the amount of these foods in your diet for the best results with your weight loss program.

Reduce the amounts of oil that you use, even when using olive or canola oil. Minimize or avoid entirely fried foods, red meat, creams, fatty salad dressings, cheese, and high fat desserts like ice cream. Indulging in fat-rich foods will cause unwanted weight gain. Saturated fats initiate LDL, or “bad cholesterol” which in turn increases the risk of heart disease.

Replenish your diet with loads of fresh produce, whole grains, and beans. Eat fresh fish. Studies show that Americans who eat a plant based diet and include a small portion of fish once a day, live longer than those who do not. Plant based diets will balance your hormones and help you to lose weight and keep it off for the rest of your life.

Eating healthy foods high in vitamins and nutrients and low in sodium, sugar and saturated fat will give you more energy and improve your overall health. Choose whole grains for their high levels of nutrients and fiber and snack on a couple of handfuls of nuts each day to keep the doctor away. Nuts satisfy hunger, give you more energy and reduce cholesterol.

Reduce the bad foods, replenish your body with lots of good healthy foods and get energized with a whole new diet and a new attitude.

Shrimp and Asparagus over Wheat Pasta

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Two of my favorite super foods, shrimp and asparagus are delicious served over pasta. This dish is easy and quick to make. You’ll cook everything in one skillet so you will save on clean-up time as well.

1 lb asparagus
2 lb fresh peeled and deveined shrimp
1 tsp margarine
2/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced green onion
1/2 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
1 tsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cut, clean asparagus.
2. Cook choice of pasta.
3. Cook shrimp 3 to 5 minutes and set aside
4. Coat large skillet with cooking spray.
5. Add margarine cooking just until it melts.
6. Add vegetables to margarine and saute.
7. Add all ingredients and cook 3 to 4 minutes.
8. Stir in shrimp until all heated.
9. Serve over cooked pasta.

Health Benefits:
Low in saturated fat and low in calories. Shrimp is high in selenium, potassium, Vitamin D, Vitamin B 12, and iron. It’s also high Omega-3 fatty acids, essential for good health. Asparagus is high in Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, folate, dietary fiber and it’s also a good source of iron.

Sleep Like A Beauty, Awake Refreshed

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Have you ever noticed a correlation between sleep and losing weight? Many people, especially women, are so busy, that they don’t get a good night’s sleep. Doctors have revealed that a good night’s sleep plays a big part in weight control. According to experts, there is a critical link between sleep deprivation and obesity. Americans are sleeping less than ever and are getting bigger than ever. People who sleep less than seven hours per night are more likely to be overweight or obese. Studies show that the lack of sleep impacts the balance of hormones in the body that affect appetite. The hormones ghrelin and leptin, important for the regulation of appetite, can be disrupted by a lack of sleep.

Sleep like a beauty and awake rejuvenated and refreshed. Getting your beauty sleep is not just a phrase. When a woman doesn’t get enough rest, it starts to show in her face. Continuous sleep deprivation will cause lines in the face to deepen, bags and dark circles under the eyes and over all inflammation that causes the face to look as if it has aged.

A woman’s body requires rest. Rest and sleep provide an opportunity for the body to cleanse, repair, and rejuvenate on a deep cellular level. Sleep is a time for your body to repair damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays and other harmful exposures. Your body needs this rest in order to work with the nutrients that you have been feeding it. Since your cells actually produce more protein while you are sleeping, this down time allows them to repair and rejuvenate.

When your body is in need of sleep, it goes into a state of stress. The body’s functions are put on high alert and that causes an increase in blood pressure and a production of stress hormones such as cortisol. An increase in blood pressure intensifies your risk for heart attacks and strokes. The stress hormones also, make it harder for you to sleep. Stress causes an overproduction of cortisol, the hormone responsible for a fat belly.

Eating a stable diet that includes healthy proteins, lots of vegetables and fruits and drinking plenty of water each day will help your body maintain a proper balance of activity and rest. Getting at least 30 minutes of exercise each day helps to regulate the body’s internal clock, allowing you to rest better and be more energized when you are awake.

Figure Flattering Flatbread Pizza

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Most of the time, I don’t specify one brand over another. However, this tasty light cheese from Laughing Cow is only 35 calories for a delicious and nutritious treat.

1 Roma tomato, thinly sliced
1 wedge of Laughing Cow Mozzarella, Dried Tomato and Basil Spread
1 slice flatbread
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. Lay flatbread out on plate or cutting board.
2. Spread one side with Laughing Cow cheese.
3. Layer with tomato slices.
4. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar.
5. Bake for 4 minutes on 400 degrees.
6. Enjoy!

Health Benefits:
Low in saturated fat, low in cholesterol, low in sodium, low in sugar and low in calories, this nutritious flatbread pizza slice will fill you up but not out. It’s great for breakfast, snacks or lunch and it’s packed with protein to feed all the cells in your body.