Healthy Party Guidelines

You’ve planned, sent invites, shopped, and cooked. Stay energized and worry-free before, during, and after your get-together with these guidelines.

1. Don’t change your normal eating routine. On the days leading up to the party, and especially on the day of, stick to clean eating and make sure to eat breakfast, lunch, and a mid-morning and mid-afternoon protein- and fiber-rich snack. This way, you won’t be hungry while you’re preparing the party food; and when the party starts, you won’t be tempted to overeat.

2. Keep yourself hydrated. While you don’t need to keep an exact count of how many glasses of water you consume on a daily basis, keeping well hydrated will help you stay energized and combat headaches and fatigue — two things you want to avoid on party day. Drink water when you feel thirsty, and remember that fruits and vegetables will also help contribute to your fluid intake.

3. Schedule time to exercise. Exercising decreases stress and increases energy. When you exercise, your body releases feel-good hormones called endorphins, which help relieve stress and keep your blood-sugar levels stable so that you don’t get cravings. If it’s too hard to work it in, take a brisk walk or go for a bike ride.

4. Enlist friends to help. We all have friends or family members who offer to lend a helping hand with parties and meals. Saying yes to a little assistance is a great way to make setup go quicker. Have your volunteers arrive early to prep a dish or two, arrange flowers, or get the tables set. And when the party’s over, ask for some help for the pickup too.

5. Enjoy some wine. If you like wine, have a glass with the meal. Having food in your system when you drink slows the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream and helps keep your blood-sugar levels steady. A glass of red or white wine daily for women or two for men of is fine. Avoid beer (except for the occasional light beer), high-sugar types of alcohol, such as dessert and ice wines, and sugary cocktails.

6. Delight in dessert. Special occasions and dessert go hand in hand. If you like sweets, cut yourself a small piece of cake or enjoy a cookie and savor it slowly. Or try the “Three-Bite Rule”: Take three bites and then put the dessert aside for a few minutes; most likely you won’t come back to it. You’ll discover that just a few tastes of a great dessert can be very satisfying.

7. Love the leftovers. The healthy leftovers you have can be a blessing after all that cooking! Wrap extras in single portions to freeze and eat later in the week or, if you like, wrap and send some of the food home with your guests as a reminder of a great occasion.

http://www.beachbodycoach.com/michelevaron
fb.com/MotivationalCoachingByMichele
twitter.com/CoachMicheleV
IG/motivationalcoachingbymichele
http://www.uftbiz.com/michelevaron – Interested in a home based business? Learn more about Beachbody coaching and helping others stay motivated and accountable to reach their goals while you are also reaching yours!

How Sleep Affects Weight Loss

It’s not just poor diet and lack of exercise that are making Americans fatter and sicker these days — sleep deprivation also plays a role. Across the country, there are approximately 70 million people struggling to get a good night’s sleep. Some have trouble falling asleep, some can’t stay asleep, and for others it’s a combination of both.

Lack of sleep is a huge stress on the body and is associated with numerous physical and emotional problems, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, a weakened immune system, and depression. It can also affect your weight. People tend to weigh more when they sleep less.

Studies show that when you don’t get enough sleep, it hinders your body’s ability to metabolize food properly. Lack of sleep interferes with the production of two important hormones, leptin and ghrelin, which help regulate your metabolism and hunger levels. Leptin is produced in your fat cells; it suppresses hunger and lets your brain know when your stomach is full. Ghrelin is produced in your stomach cells; its job is to stimulate your appetite, slow your metabolism, and decrease your body’s ability to burn fat.

With less sleep, your body produces lower levels of appetite-suppressing leptin and higher levels of appetite-boosting ghrelin. This means you’ll not only be tired from lack of sleep, you’ll also be hungry and you won’t feel satisfied even after you eat, which can set the stage for long-term overeating and weight gain. Additionally, if you’re sleep-deprived and feeling exhausted, you’re less likely to have the willpower necessary to stave off cravings for sugary and starchy carbohydrates and other unhealthy foods.

So, how can you break the cycle of sleeplessness? Ideally, you should be getting a minimum of 8 hours of sleep every night. People with certain health conditions may need even more. Unfortunately, the average American adult is getting only 6 hours of sleep a night, and many get even less than that.

Since most sleeping problems are caused by poor bedtime habits, follow these tips to a better night’s rest.

Remove distracting electronic equipment like computers or smart phones from your bedroom.

Refrain from caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods before bed, and don’t eat a big meal right before going to sleep. If you’re hungry, choose a healthy snack that contains some good carbohydrates and lean protein.

Make sure your bedroom is dark and quiet at night. Consider investing in heavy curtains or a white-noise machine if you think it would help.

Create a comfortable bed by adding a foam, down, or mattress topper, and try to replace your mattress every 7 to 10 years.

Stick to a schedule of going to sleep and waking up at about the same time every day.

http://www.beachbodycoach.com/michelevaron
fb.com/MotivationalCoachingByMichele
twitter.com/CoachMicheleV
IG/motivationalcoachingbymichele
http://www.uftbiz.com/michelevaron – Interested in a home based business? Learn more about Beachbody coaching and helping others stay motivated and accountable to reach their goals while you are also reaching yours!

Change Your Mental Mindset

Your mind controls your body. If your mind is positive, you will be positive, being positive or negative is a choice. Here are some helpful tips that will help change your mental mindset.

1.) Recognize your limits and your strength. Nobody is a jack-of-all- trades. There are things you will without a doubt do well and then there are other things that you won’t do so well and that’s okay. Recognize the areas where you are strong and focus on that.

2.) Change your environment. A neat, clean, organize place or area does wonders for the mind. Creativity flows easily. Create yourself an environment that allows for your mind to be at ease and you at best.

3.) Overcome inhibitors- inhibitors can come in many forms, it can be in the form of substances, food or even people. Whatever is hindering you, bringing you down or holding you back from moving forward seek to eliminate it. Set yourself up for success not failure.

4.) Implement assesses . Execute a plan of action and develop your talent. (hint: everybody on the planet has a talent in something) Have a solution in terms of goals and objectives and incorporate your talents to uniquely get it done.

http://www.beachbodycoach.com/michelevaron
fb.com/MotivationalCoachingByMichele
twitter.com/CoachMicheleV
http://www.uftbiz.com/michelevaron – Interested in a home based business? Learn more about Beachbody coaching and helping others stay motivated and accountable to reach their goals while you are also reaching yours!

Nutrition tips and alternative items for those favorite Thanksgiving and fall foods:

If you are trying to lose weight or just keep from gaining, these next few weeks can be rough. The good news is there are plenty of healthy foods that are commonly served this time of year. You just need to know which variations are naughty to your diet and which will be nice.

Apples: Fall brings apples, which are a great source of fiber. Eating apples can help lower cholesterol and help prevent heart disease.

Naughty: Apple pies; turnovers; sweetened applesauce; caramel or candied apples

Nice: Unsweetened applesauce; Waldorf salads; raw apples; using unsweetened applesauce to replace fat in baked goods

Beans: Green beans are often on the menu for holiday meals. Unfortunately, they are usually in the form of a creamy casserole.

Naughty: Green bean casserole

Nice: Steamed or sautéed green beans with olive oil, lemon and almonds

Chocolate: What’s a holiday without chocolate? It has a lot of calories, fat and sugar.

Naughty: Chocolate-covered raisins, marshmallows or other candies; milk chocolate

Nice: Dark chocolate dipped fruits

Cranberries: They are loaded with vitamin C and cancer-preventing antioxidants.

Naughty: Jellied canned cranberry sauce

Nice: Fresh cranberry relish; dried cranberries

Pecans: Nuts are a good source of protein, Vitamin E and monounsaturated fats. Nuts are part of a heart-healthy diet. Beware, though, because they do have a lot of calories.

Naughty: Pecan pie

Nice: Raw or roasted spiced pecans.

Pumpkin: This dark orange vegetable is packed full of vitamins and fiber.
Naughty: Pumpkin pie; pumpkin breads or bars

Nice: Crust-less pumpkin pie or pudding; using pumpkin to replace fat in baked goods; using pumpkin in savory soups and main dishes

Turkey: Turkey is an excellent source of protein, and skinless turkey breast has the least amount of fat per serving among all meats.

Naughty: Turkeys that have been injected with a sodium solution or artificial flavorings; turkey gravy made with pan drippings; turkey skin

Nice: Breast meat has less fat and calories than dark meat, but not significantly lower; read labels and choose a turkey that is free of any additives; don’t eat the skin

Stuffing: Many consider stuffing to be more important to the meal than the turkey. Tweaking your recipe can make this dish much healthier.

Naughty: Typical stuffing made with white bread, lots of butter, chopped giblets and meat drippings cooked inside the bird

Nice: Use whole-grain or wheat bread, defatted drippings, cut the butter, eliminate the giblet meat. Add some dried fruits, like cranberries, raisins, or apricots. Cook in a casserole dish, rather than stuffed in the turkey.

Sweet Potatoes or Yams: Another powerhouse vegetable full of fiber, beta-carotene, Vitamin C and potassium

Naughty: Candied sweet potatoes; canned sweet potatoes

Nice: Baked sweet potato (sprinkle with a little brown sugar and cinnamon, if you must); roasted sweet potato chunks; mashed sweet potatoes

There are a couple of important but simple things to remember to help you prevent weight gain during the holidays. First, keep your portions in check. Go ahead and have some of those special yummy foods, but just take a small portion. Second, keep up with your regular exercises and even add a few minutes more to make up for the extra calories.

http://www.beachbodycoach.com/michelevaron
fb.com/MotivationalCoachingByMichele
twitter.com/CoachMicheleV
IG/motivationalcoachingbymichele
http://www.uftbiz.com/michelevaron – Interested in a home based business? Learn more about Beachbody coaching and helping others stay motivated and accountable to reach their goals while you are also reaching yours!

Top tips to consider to help meet your Health and Fitness Goals

1. Watch Out For Hidden Sugars and Drinking Your Calories
READ LABELS. Some drinks look healthy but actually contain a lot of sugar. Vitamin Water has 33 grams of sugar in a 20-ounce bottle! Fruit drinks are loaded with sugar as well. Diet soda is not a healthy alternative. AVOID ALL SODA. PERIOD!

Mixed drinks and fruity cocktails have a ton of extra sugar and calories. Keep it clean with alcohol – go for the “skinny” option, red or white wine or tonic water. Limit to 1-2 drinks and save it for the weekends.
With coffee be careful of added sugar, sweeteners, and whipped cream.  A Starbucks Venti Frappuccino has 400 calories and 60 grams of sugar. Yikes!

2. Replace the Thought, “I Can’t” With, “I CAN!”
Keep your thoughts positive and be aware of negative thoughts. Learn to swiftly switch out the negative thought with a positive thought. Instead of, “I will never get the body I want,” replace the thought to, “I will continue to make healthy lifestyle choices and work towards having a healthier body.”

Being optimistic is a learned behavior that requires training.  Everyone experiences failure. Those that succeed view the failure as a temporary situation and take it as an opportunity for GROWTH.  Change your perspective and view the next failure as a chance to take charge!

3. Move Every Day
Increase your physical activity throughout the day by sneaking in extra moves. Examples include: taking the stairs, using the bathroom on a different floor, parking further away, walking or biking places, taking the dog out, doing body weight squats or lunges on a lunch break, dancing when your favorite song comes on, and basically anything that requires a little muscle activity and gets your heart pumping! Ten minutes of exercise is 100% better than no exercise.
Plan your exercise schedule each week and stick to it! Be realistic and set the amount of time you will need for it. Schedule time for cardio, strength training, and flexibility each week. Lay your workout clothes out the night before or pack your gym bag so you are ready.

4. Try Something NEW
Don’t underestimate your strength! Challenging your body in new ways helps recruit more muscle fibers and improves your fitness. You are stronger and more capable than you think. Believe in your strength and determination. If you have been doing the same exercises, your body will get use to it and it won’t be challenging anymore. Find things that challenge you and even your current exercises can always be taken up a notch!

5. Get to Bed on Time
Sleep is SO important! Sleep deprivation actually causes us to eat more and feel less satisfied. Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep and stick to a regular bedtime.  Control your stress by focusing on your breath at bedtime and take some deep belly breaths to slow everything down. Try relaxing music and a good book to get your mind and body ready for sleep.  If you find your mind racing at bedtime, jot down your thoughts and your to-do list to allow your mind to quiet down.

6. Set SMART Goals
Goal setting is a powerful tool to inspire change and stay motivated. Writing goals down on paper is a key part of goal setting, as it helps commit to the goal.

SMART goals include:
SPECIFIC – write a detailed goal rather than a broad goal. Example: I will reduce soda intake to one a week vs. I will reduce sugar
MEASURABLE – include an accountable element to the goal to keep track of progress. Example: I will eat 5 veggies a day vs. I will eat more veggies.
ATTAINABLE – make goals that are challenging yet in reach of your abilities.  If you accomplish all your goals easily, make them more challenging! Break up long-term goals into short-term goals to facilitate the progression towards reaching the bigger, life-changing goals.
REALISTIC – write a goal that is relevant to you, inspires you, and is practical for your lifestyle.
TIMELY – setting a date to the desired time of completion is essential, otherwise your well-thought out goals might float around for years.  Set a date you wish to achieve the goal and do your best to stick to it.  Example: I will be able to do 5 pull-ups by December 31st, 2013.

Lastly, allow your goals to be adjustable.  Sometimes life gets in the way of our goals. A sprained ankle, a work trip, a sick kid, you get the idea.  Allow for flexibility within your goals, as you may need to extend the date of the goal or get back on track after a lapse.

Remember, health and happiness is a lifestyle. It is your CHOICE to adopt a healthy lifestyle with nutrition, exercise, and a positive attitude. Follow these Top Tips and you will be on the road to a healthier you!

http://www.beachbodycoach.com/michelevaron
fb.com/MotivationalCoachingByMichele
twitter.com/CoachMicheleV
IG/motivationalcoachingbymichele
http://www.uftbiz.com/michelevaron – Interested in a home based business? Learn more about Beachbody coaching and helping others stay motivated and accountable to reach their goals while you are also reaching yours!

Do you overeat?

What kind of emotional demons are lurking in your closet (or refrigerator)? Not sure? Well, it’s time to find out, and to exorcise them once and for all. To succeed where you have failed, sometimes you have to take three steps back to take that first step forward. In terms of reaching your goal weight, “stepping back” means reviewing past and current self-defeating behaviors to identify where you got stuck, discouraged, or overwhelmed.

Here are several of the most common causes of overeating.

Emotion – Do you overeat as a coping mechanism, to numb suffering, combat loneliness, out of boredom and so on?

Reward – Do you indulge in eating to reward yourself when you’ve done a good job on something?

Seeking acceptance – Do you overeat because you’re seeking social acceptance? Do you eat fattening foods at parties so as not to offend the host? If you’re out with friends, do you feel the need to have a drink just to fit in?

Isolate specific problems and work on finding solutions for them. Find out (and conquer) what has locked you into self-defeating habits, and develop healthy, affirming behaviors instead. Whatever your downfalls might have been in the past, there is a way to deal with them in the present. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but if you hang in there, you will succeed!

http://www.beachbodycoach.com/michelevaron
fb.com/MotivationalCoachingByMichele
twitter.com/CoachMicheleV
IG/motivationalcoachingbymichele
http://www.uftbiz.com/michelevaron – Interested in a home based business? Learn more about Beachbody coaching and helping others stay motivated and accountable to reach their goals while you are also reaching yours!

Combat Candy Overload

Here are some ways to combat candy overload this Halloween:

1. Hand out candy that lasts long like lollipops which will take you longer to “eat” if you dip into your stash.

2. Eat dinner before hand with protein to stay satisfied before handing out your candy.

3. Keep your waistline in check with some snug fitting jeans or pants.

4. Set a time for giving out treats or buy less so when it’s gone it’s gone and you want it to be gone!

5. Get your kid’s stash out of the house as quickly as possible. Let them go through it and then give the rest away that night to other tricker treaters or send it to your spouse’s work place for them to indulge!

http://www.beachbodycoach.com/michelevaron
fb.com/MotivationalCoachingByMichele
twitter.com/CoachMicheleV
IG/motivationalcoachingbymichele
http://www.uftbiz.com/michelevaron – Interested in a home based business? Learn more about Beachbody coaching and helping others stay motivated and accountable to reach their goals while you are also reaching yours!

What’s In Your Salad?

Salads really can be really healthy or they can be loaded with fat!

DO get your dressing on the side. Then dip your fork into the dressing; don’t pour the stuff on. Ask for light options as well. No need to stick with the exact dressing that comes on that salad. Sometimes skip the dressing altogether and go with salsa, balsamic vinegar, or a squeeze of lemon.

DON’T be afraid to special order. If a salad looks healthy, for the most part, but includes a few questionable ingredients, ask your server if they can be left off. Common culprits behind fatty salads: tortilla/wonton strips, candied nuts, crumbled bacon, and cheese.

DO look for salads loaded with raw vegetables, like tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, and carrots. The more raw vegetables the better.

DON’T be fooled into thinking that scoopable tuna or chicken salad is a good choice. It’s typically loaded with mayo. Grilled fish or chicken is a much better pick. You can also add all kinds of beans – black, garbanzo, kidney, soybeans (edamame) for added proteins.

http://www.beachbodycoach.com/michelevaron
fb.com/MotivationalCoachingByMichele
twitter.com/CoachMicheleV
IG/motivationalcoachingbymichele
http://www.uftbiz.com/michelevaron – Interested in a home based business? Learn more about Beachbody coaching and helping others stay motivated and accountable to reach their goals while you are also reaching yours!

What To Do When You Plateau

Try eating different foods.

Sometimes people get into a food rut, eating the same things day in and day out, which may lead to overeating as a result of feeling bored. An easy fix? Add more variety to your diet by including some new foods and seasonings when you plan your meals. And don’t be afraid to try some new recipes as well. This may be just what you need to start losing those pounds again.

Get adequate exercise.

Enjoy a fitness program based on interval training, during which you alternate short bursts of high-intensity effort with slower recovery periods to catch your breath and allow your muscles to recharge. When you work at a higher intensity for part of the time, you end up burning more calories and fat in less time than you would if you were working out at a steady pace. You’ll develop more lean muscle mass too, which helps to further boost metabolism and that in turn will help you get off that weight-loss plateau.

Write what you bite.

Without even realizing it, you may be eating too much of certain foods that are known to stall weight loss. A good rule of thumb: Keep tabs on everything you eat. This is so easy now with smart phones and free apps to do it like Lose it and My Fitness Pal, so you are aware of what you’re consuming each day. This will help you identify key areas where you need to cut back or have control.

Consider your health, not just the scale.

Finally, it’s possible that your weight loss has stalled because you’ve already reached your healthiest weight — even if it’s not your desired weight. If your cholesterol and blood-sugar levels have normalized, your desire to continue to lose more weight may be a matter of cosmetics. In this case, rather than focusing on the number on your scale, focus on how much better you feel and how much healthier you are.

http://www.beachbodycoach.com/michelevaron
fb.com/MotivationalCoachingByMichele
twitter.com/CoachMicheleV
IG/motivationalcoachingbymichele
http://www.uftbiz.com/michelevaron – Interested in a home based business? Learn more about Beachbody coaching and helping others stay motivated and accountable to reach their goals while you are also reaching yours!

Halloween is a Perfect Time to Teach Kids Lessons

What habits can you teach your kids at Halloween?
How to:
• Eat without over-indulging
• Experiment with new foods and flavors
• Fit inferior “foods” into your diet in a healthy way.

Strategy One: Think of Halloween as a big buffet.
Ever noticed how hard it is to get through a buffet without overeating?
Some people browse buffets before serving themselves; others begin loading up at once and don’t stop until they reach the end. You won’t be surprised to learn that browsers end up eating less than loaders.

Teach your kids to be browsers, not loaders. Encourage them to scan their stash — perhaps by sorting by category first — so they choose to save and eat what they like best. Then, consider letting them swap candy they don’t like for candy they do like or just recycle it when you are giving out your own candy. This will teach them to eat what they like, not what they have.

Strategy Two: Encourage Your Kids to Taste Test
Imagine Halloween from your child’s perspective and you’ll see that it’s a time to taste a whole range of goodies at once! Encourage taste testing. Have your kids sample one bite from any (and every) candy that look interesting and compare how different candies look, taste, smell and how they feel in their hands, in their mouths and in their stomach. Their mission? To find the candy they like the best. This will reduce the size of your kids’ stash and help with Strategy One: Eat what you like, not what you have.

Strategy Three: Teach Your Kids to Think BIG.
Talk to your children about proportion. Even very young children can understand a simple statement like, “We eat fruits and vegetables more often than candy.”

Consider using a candy drawer. Dump the entire contents of your kids’ Halloween haul into a single drawer or container. This act alone will cut down on candy consumption. Kids feel less like they’re entitled to eat their entire stash when it no longer feels like a set. Once you’ve got your candy drawer, establish limits on how many candies your kids can eat each day. Then, let your kids eat that candy whenever they want. This gives kids the control they crave with the limits they need.

Teach your kids to handle Halloween and they’ll be better prepared to cope with all those other opportunities to eat in excess.

http://www.beachbodycoach.com/michelevaron
fb.com/MotivationalCoachingByMichele
twitter.com/CoachMicheleV
IG/motivationalcoachingbymichele
http://www.uftbiz.com/michelevaron – Interested in a home based business? Learn more about Beachbody coaching and helping others stay motivated and accountable to reach their goals while you are also reaching yours!