Diet Habits to Drop Now

Start your New Year off right! You might think some of these habits are helping you shed pounds, but could actually be sabotaging your weight loss and hurting your health. If you can drop these harmful habits, you might just become a healthy eater for life.

Skipping breakfast. Breakfast is indeed the most important meal of the day — especially for people who want to lose weight. It helps jump start your metabolism and gets your body started for the day.

Going on a juice cleanse. Long-term juice cleanses are one of the worst things you can do to your body if you want to shed pounds for good. The reason? While long-term cleanses will make you lose weight, it’s mostly water weight that you will gain back once you resume your normal eating habits. And it could trigger other health problems, as well, including an out-of-whack metabolism and irritability.

Filling up on diet soda drinks. If you’re turning to diet soda drinks for your fix, then you could actually be sabotaging your weight loss.
Drinking diet soda and other artificially sweetened beverages could be linked to weight gain, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure. The reason? Your body might be confused by artificial sweeteners. Instead of diet drinks, try plain sparkling water for that fizzy full feeling.

Completely cutting out entire food groups. There is no magic bullet to weight loss, but for some people, elimination diets seem like a quick and easy way to feel in control of their bodies. Use the saying, everything in moderation. That way you won’t feel deprived or think you are “missing out” on any foods you want.

Opting for low-fat versions. The fat you eat isn’t really linked to weight gain and disease, instead, it’s the total amount of calories eaten, as well as “bad” fats like trans and saturated fats found in meat and processed foods, that seem to be linked to health problems. Not only is fat good for you in moderation, but labels like “low-fat” and “nonfat” actually trick people into eating more. Instead of assuming that low-fat or nonfat foods are automatically better for you, read the nutritional labels first. You might just find that low-fat or nonfat versions actually have more sugar or calories than the normal-fat foods.

Going hungry. For people who want to lose weight fast, dropping too many calories could actually be hurting you and confusing your body. If you want to lose weight and keep it off forever, you need a modest calorie restriction that you simply continue and never stop. There are many apps that you can put in your goals, weight and height that will calculate how many calories you need.

Thinking about it as a “diet” in the first place. People who prioritize and make lifestyle changes over diet, are the ones who keep it off long term. By making small, realistic and sustainable changes that you can carry on for the rest your life, as opposed to adopting dramatic, short-term diets can ultimately result in an unhealthy cycle of losing and gaining weight.

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!

Takeout Traps and Tips

The delivery menu. A full meal (or more) brought to your door in 30 minutes or less. No cooking. No cleaning. It’s like going to a fine restaurant, a dream come true. But it can be a nightmare for your figure if you succumb to some of the common pitfalls of deliverable cuisine. Here are some things to keep in mind so you can order your dinner in.

What to watch out for
1. Good things come in small packages. Unfortunately, most delivery food comes in large packages. It’s rare that you can get someone to bring you one or two slices of pizza. You usually get the whole pie. And Chinese and Thai food come in those top-heavy tapered white boxes, so while it may seem you’ve only eaten half a container, you’ve actually gone through most of it. Before you dig, get a plate from your kitchen, and put a serving on your plate and put the rest in the refrigerator for another time. By removing the extra food, you’ll significantly reduce the chance that you’ll power-eat your way through two or three meals’ worth of calories straight out of the container.

2. Don’t eat the “minimum.” One problem with delivery, especially for single people, is that there’s usually a $10.00 or $12.00 minimum. If the entrée you order doesn’t meet the minimum delivery cost, don’t be lured into loading up your order with fatty appetizers or extra desserts just to ensure free delivery. Instead, order two individual-sized entrées and put one in the fridge for tomorrow’s lunch or dinner. You’ll save money on the delivery fee, plus that’s two nights in a row you don’t have to cook. You win!

3. Watch your sides. Your diet’s already in trouble since you have to order a banquet’s worth of food just to get the delivery guy to show up at your door. Don’t get talked into the add-ons like egg rolls, breadsticks, or chicken wings. Don’t let a craving, a phone order-taker, or just plain habit talk you into indulging in these unnecessary extras. Your pizza’s already going to run you roughly 300 calories a slice (and do you honestly expect to stop at just one?); do you really want to add 300 calories’ worth of wings to that?

4. Read the fine print. Look for words and phrases like “steamed,” “boiled,” “all white meat,” etc. Stay away from words like “fried,” “crispy,” “cheese-filled,” “creamy,” etc. Also, some menus include heart icons next to the healthier items—keep an eye out for those!

5. Spice it up. If you can take the heat, sprinkle some hot peppers on your pizza or order your food extra spicy! While some claims that spicy food will boost your metabolism, there are some other benefits to eating the hot stuff. First off, peppers and curries add a lot of flavor without adding sodium, so pick dishes that emphasize spice over salt. Secondly, if your mouth is on fire, you might be encouraged to drink more water to cool you off. In addition, water will help keep you feeling full, which helps a lot with portion control. Avoid drinking high-calorie sodas, beers, or sweet iced tea to put out the fire.

What to order
Most of the restaurants that deliver are local eateries, not national chains. Here are some tips for good things to order and bad things to avoid for three of the most popular categories of restaurant.

Chinese
• Get steamed. Order steamed rice, not fried, and go with brown rice if they have it—it has extra fiber.
• Veg out. Look for the dishes that are mostly vegetables and are steamed rather than fried. If you order dishes like beef and broccoli, ask them for extra broccoli.
• Soup it up. Egg-drop, wonton, and hot-and-sour soups are good low-cal, low-fat options (although they usually have plenty of sodium). Fill up on some soup and put away half your entrée for later.
• Grease: not the word. Stay away from deep-fried dishes like egg rolls, crispy orange chicken, General Tso’s chicken, sweet-and-sour pork, etc.
• Lay off the sauce. Watch out for sauces made with corn syrup or oil. Request low sauce or no sauce. An order of kung pao chicken seems healthy but it’s sautéed in enough oil that it can have fat with more than an entire day’s worth. If possible, ask how it’s prepared.
• Pass up the salt. Ask for low-salt options. Don’t use the full-sodium soy sauce packets that come with your meal. Instead, invest in your own bottle of low-sodium soy sauce. Also, make sure your restaurant is one of the many that no longer use monosodium glutamate (MSG) in their dishes.
• Switch it up. For dinner combos, see if you can substitute healthier options for the normal items. For example, ask for an extra serving of steamed vegetables instead of the side of starchy chow mein or fried rice.
• A fortune cookie has only 30 calories and no fat, and potentially brings good news or a daily affirmation—treat yourself!

Pizza
• Don’t pick up that phone. It’s hard to find healthy pizza and it’s much better to make your own.
• More veggies. Load up on veggie toppings like peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, fresh garlic, jalapeños, etc.
• Less fat and/or less cheese. Ask or use low-fat cheese, or ask them to use half the cheese.
• Defeat the meat. Try to stay away from fatty meat toppings like pepperoni, meatballs, and sausage. Instead, try leaner options like Canadian bacon, chicken, or shrimp.
• Bust the crust. Most pizza chains list nutrition info on their Web sites, so make sure you take a look before ordering to ensure the smartest choice. Many places now offer whole wheat crusts and even thin crusts as better options.

Thai
• Lighten up. Many of the same tips for Chinese food apply to Thai food as well. Try to get steamed brown rice and lots of vegetables and stay away from heavy sauces and high-sodium dishes.
• Satay is a good option, but try not to use too much of the peanut dipping sauce, if any; that’s where your calories will start to add up.
• Watch the coconut milk. It’s delicious, but usually extremely fattening. Try to look for dishes flavored with ginger, citrus, curry, or chilies instead. Or ask if they can prepare your dish with low-fat coconut milk.
• Hold the milk. Thai restaurants offer a lot of delicious low-fat soups that you can fill up on. They also have some soups that are high in fat because of coconut milk. Try and order soups that don’t include it. And as with all soups, keep an eye on the sodium.
• Thai cuisine includes many salads that are a meal in themselves, such as Yum Nuah (beef salad) or Pla Goong (grilled shrimp salad). Many of these have simple lime juice dressings that are low in fat. But, as with American salads, and ask the restaurant what’s in the dressing or have it on the side.
• Go fish (or tofu). Check out the fish and tofu options. Thai restaurants have lots of dishes that feature seafood and tofu. And if you don’t care for either, the Thai spices might just help you overcome your aversion.

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! Watch this brief video for more info: http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/michelevaron?bctid=2688606650001

Tips to Lose Belly Fat

Here’s 5 easy tips on losing belly fat:

Eat healthy snacks. Avoid bad snacks like cookies, desserts, and chips. Instead, fill yourself up with vegetables, protein and whole grains. Also, include good fats in your nutrition plan like avocados and salmon. Avoid snacking after dinner.

High intensity training. Interval training is a very effective way of burning calories. If you are running, do short bursts of high intensity. And, you can do high intensity burnouts with weights, walking, squats – incorporate it into your daily routine.

Relax. Stress is one of the biggest belly fat offenders. When your body is stressed, it will begin to start producing cortisol, a hormone that stimulates extra fat storage in your belly.

Don’t drink in excess. Alcohol is sugar and ultimately turns into fat. Drink in moderation – drinking a bottle of wine is like eating an entire chocolate cake.

Weight training. Weight lifting helps your body process calories and burn body fat. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn.

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!

Ways to Talk to Your Overweight Child

If your child is overweight, you may be at a loss for how to help. Talking to kids about weight can be a sensitive topic, no matter their age. You don’t want to say or do the wrong thing and risk alienating or hurting them. Sometimes it can be tempting to avoid talking to kids about weight altogether and keep living life as is, even though you worry about your child’s physical and emotional health.

While it may be uncomfortable to discuss weight concerns, the sooner you bring it up and help your child take action, the easier it will be to help him or her achieve a healthy weight. Ignoring it won’t make it go away, and in fact, waiting until your child is older to deal with weight issues may make it harder for him in the long run. While it is possible at any age, it can be much easier to tackle weight problems when a child is younger and more open to making different lifestyle choices.

Also keep in mind that overweight children are more likely to become overweight adults, which will put them at a higher risk for serious health concerns such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. So talking with your child now can help put him on a path toward better health as an adult.

So where should a parent start?

1. Do be your child’s ally.
It’s important to talk honestly to kids about their weight if they ask you about it — and be available to help. If your child is concerned about her weight, tell her you want to help, and make getting healthy a project you work on together. Then put some action behind your words by helping her explore her interests and discussing options. For example, suggest taking a cooking class together to learn healthier ways to prepare old favorites. Bring her grocery shopping with you and have her choose a new fruit or vegetable to try every week. Or see if she’d be interested in getting pedometers or FitBit for everyone in the family and setting a goal for number of steps per day. By involving your child in the decision-making process, you help her take charge of her health and build self-confidence.

2. Do be a good role model.
When it comes to children and weight, what you do is more important than what you say. Parents are kids’ number-one role model. Kids develop their attitudes about food and eating from their parents. If parents go to fast-food restaurants and expose their child to junk food around the house, that child will develop the same habits — and those habits are extremely hard to break.

Limit the meals you get from fast-food restaurants. But when you do go to the drive-through, explain to your child about the healthier choices you can make, such as ordering a grilled chicken sandwich and a side salad or fruit cup rather than a burger and fries. Then order a healthier choice yourself.

3. Don’t look back — Start setting a healthier example today.
It’s never too late to develop healthy habits. Maybe you haven’t always made healthy choices in the past, but today is a new day. Improving your own lifestyle can inspire your overweight child to do the same. It’s great for kids to see parents changing their eating habits, turning off the television, and getting some exercise.

Take on change in small steps. Make it easier for everyone in the family to eat healthier by gradually ridding your house of all junk food. Take a look at your pantry and refrigerator and clean them out. Check the food labels and find foods with high percentages of saturated fat and with ingredients like sugar and words ending in “-ose,” such as high fructose corn syrup. These should be marked for tossing. Then, don’t buy these junk foods going forward. Stock your kitchen with healthier snacks and foods. Low-fat yogurt, fresh fruit, raw veggies and hummus dip, whole-grain crackers and low-fat cheese, and sliced apples and peanut butter are all healthier snack options.

In addition to having fruit, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products on hand, stock your kitchen with whole-grain breads, cereals, and pasta, and lean meat and poultry. Having these healthy staples on hand can help your family limit trips to fast-food restaurants by making quick and easy healthy meals possible without a trip to the store.

4. Don’t make critical remarks about your child’s weight or what she’s eating.
Criticizing kids about their weight is one of the worst things an adult can do. Kids can be self-conscious about it — especially when family makes comments or comparisons to others.

5. Do talk to kids about other issues that may affect their weight.
Being overweight can be a symptom of a deeper issue that your child is experiencing. Find out what’s going on with your child socially and at school. For example, loneliness is often a factor in children’s weight issues. It’s common for overweight kids to say, ‘food is my friend. Overweight kids may be lonely because they are socially isolated. Parents need to get kids involved in activities: music classes, clubs, or volunteer activities will keep your child active and will also help him meet people who share his interests. Also engaging kids in family outings and physical activities will not only help bond as a family, but can make it fun for them.

A child may also overeat in response to unresolved issues at home, such as marriage or financial problems. If you suspect your child’s weight signals an underlying problem, seek outside help.

6. Don’t force kids to totally eliminate foods.
Establishing healthy eating habits is a much more effective approach than completely restricting foods. Healthy eating doesn’t mean your child can never have cake at a birthday party or a cookie at a friend’s house. Your child is going to encounter treats, and you want them to learn to make good, balanced decisions about the food they eat. Teach children to savor treats rather than gobble them up quickly. Show them what a healthy portion of ice cream or cake looks like so they know what to ask for. For example, one serving of ice cream is 1/2 cup. That is about equal in size to a light bulb. A healthy portion of cake is about the size of a deck of cards. Using these visual cues will help your child participate with friends without overdoing it.

7. Do make mealtime family time.
There is evidence that eating with children and having regular family meals helps prevent childhood obesity. Research shows that when you eat with your child, they eat more slowly and make healthier choices. When you have family meals, eating becomes a social event.

8. Don’t make kids follow a strict exercise plan.
Parents should encourage physical activity as a natural part of life, not a chore, or kids are likely to resist.”Make it positive, and instead of making your kid go to a cardio class once a week, for example, do something spontaneous, like take a walk around the neighborhood with the dog or take a bike ride. Set goals to encourage your child, such as walking or biking a little further each time.

9. Do make sure your child is getting enough sleep and is ‘unplugged.’
More and more studies are being released that link a lack of sleep to weight gain and other medical illnesses. Work to make sure that your child is getting enough sleep every night.

Sleep needs vary from child to child, but the following are general guidelines from the National Sleep Foundation:
• 1 to 3 years old: 12 to 14 hours per day
• 3 to 5-year-olds: 11 to 13 hours per day
• 5 to 12-year-olds: 10 to 11 hours per day
• 12 to 18-year-olds: at least 8 1/2 hours per day

To help your child get the right amount of Zzzs, remind him to ‘unplug’ from the computer, cell phone, and TV at least two hours before bedtime. Artificial light from electronics stimulates the brain and may make it harder to fall asleep. Also, remember, the more time your child spends watching TV or being on the computer or phone, the less time he’s spending having positive interactions with family or being physically active.

10. Do make it clear that you love your child unconditionally.
Remember that your long-term goal as a parent is the same whether your child is size 4 or 14: to raise a person who is comfortable with herself and knows that she is loved. Be careful of the messages you send. You never want your child to believe that your love for her is based on what she eats or doesn’t eat. Kids need to know that what you feel about them has nothing to do with their weight. Part of loving yourself means taking care of your body and keeping it healthy. If your child knows she’s loved and learns to love herself, she’s far more apt to make healthy choices.

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

Tough Love – Be Honest With Yourself

Sometimes you have to be honest with yourself and take a step back to realize what is truly going wrong and then make changes to fix it!

Commit To Change, Then Do It!
Trust me, I know it’s not easy to get this healthy lifestyle thing down! The truth is that it takes serious, conscious effort, and the sooner you embrace that fact, the better. Wishing it was easy will only leave you feeling frustrated and stuck in old habits time and time again. As the saying goes, the best things in life aren’t easy and don’t happen without a bit of struggle, trial and error and hard work. A willingness to face challenges head-on and work through them will allow you to be proactive in reaching your goals. Change can be scary, but it’s time to get on board with it.

Create Your New Identity
It is time to quit the negative self talk once and for all. Whether you’re telling yourself you look fat or you’re not smart enough or fit enough – just STOP. Seriously, ENOUGH already! Instead, think about the person that you want to be, whether it’s someone who’s fit and works out regularly, or someone who has a healthy relationship with food. Visualize being this person, looking like this person and acting like this person. You can be anyone you want to be, but if you don’t believe it and really see it first, then how will you get there?

Quit The Excuses!
“I like food too much.” “I’m too busy to cook.” “I can’t afford to eat healthy.” Sound familiar What excuses are holding you back from reaching your health goals? You keep getting stuck at work late? Then, set that alarm and wake up earlier to fit in a workout. Can’t make time for breakfast each morning? Prep your meals ahead of time! Shakeology in a blender takes less than 5 minutes and you can take it in the car with you. Let’s be real, if you have 30 minutes to spare on Facebook, then you also have time to prepare a healthy breakfast or lunch for the next day. Got it?

Plan Ahead
Have you ever heard the phrase, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail?” Well, it’s true. Don’t start each week hoping to find the time to make it to yoga or cook healthy dinners because, guess what? You never will! Decide in advance WHEN you will make it happen, then do it. Figure out which days you will exercise, go food shopping and plan your meals. You will soon see that the extra bit of effort will be more than worth it later. If you lay your workout clothes out the night before, then you are more likely to put them on and get started first thing in the morning! If you go grocery shopping on Sunday, you’ll be prepared with things to eat when you come home from work on Monday exhausted. If you bring your lunch to work, you won’t have to waste time (and money) figuring out what to eat. Once you get consistent with living a healthy lifestyle, so many areas of your life will become easier, like shopping for clothes and having more energy to get you through the day. So take the time to get organized and follow through on a plan and start creating habits that will last, it will always be worth it!

Be Honest With Yourself
When you have good intentions and healthy habits already in place, it’s easy to get frustrated when you aren’t seeing the results you want. If this is the case, you need to take a brutally honest look at yourself. It’s great that you are dedicated to going to the gym, but are you actually pushing yourself while you’re there? And what about your food choices: Is it possible that you’re eating more than you think? Do you actually factor in the handfuls of Wheat Thins or pieces of chocolate you swipe from your co-worker’s desk as part of your daily calorie allowance? Every bite counts. Don’t get stuck in the trap of comparing yourself to others either. Just because your friend ate five slices of pizza and you ate four, doesn’t mean that you made a good choice. So focus on what’s best for you and figure out where you need to make adjustments. Need an accountability partner? I would be happy to help you stay motivated and stick to your goals!

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!

Unhealthy Things You May Be Doing Every Day

Think you’re aware of all of your bad habits? Everyday millions of people are unwittingly affecting their health with the little choices they make. Here are the top offenders–are you guilty of any of these?

1. Not Getting Enough Sleep

Sleep deprivation puts your body under stress and disrupts the regulation and release of many regulatory hormones. Research shows the less someone sleeps, the more likely they are to be overweight or obese and crave higher calorie foods. Those who sleep five hours or less are more likely to become obese than those who sleep seven hours or more a night. The optimal amount of sleep needed to perform adequately, avoid sleep debt, and not have problems…during the day is about 7-8 hours for adults.

2. Too Much Screen Time

Whether it’s your computer, phone, television, or some other screen–using it more than two hours a day can lead to weight problems, and more than four hours a day increases the risk of various diseases. Get active when you have to use screen time (like using a sit/stand work station). At home, talk to your family about the importance of reducing screen time and work together to find other activities that don’t require a screen.

3. Skipping Meals

If you skip meals because you don’t have time or you want to reduce your total calories during the day, you’re making a big mistake. Skipping meals will likely make you feel hungrier and cause you to eat more than you normally would at your next meal. Skipping breakfast, in particular has been linked to obesity.
Be sure to eat balanced meals or snacks every four to five hours to keep your appetite at bay and your metabolism revved. Consider Shakeology as a simple way to start your day and something to grab quickly for lunch with all the nutrients your body needs for the day! Check it out at http://www.shakeology.com/michelevaron (message me for questions)

4. Drinking Your Calories

If the majority of your drinks contain some sort of added sugar (sports drinks, sodas, fruit punch, or specialty coffees or teas), you are consuming calories that have no nutritional value or filling affect, not to mention all of the added sugars Consider herbal teas or making your own fruit-infused water if you need a little extra flavor.

5. Not Eating Fruits and Vegetables

Make an effort to include one fruit and vegetable serving in at least two of your meals every day. Not a big fan? Again, consider Shakeology as a way to get all of your fruits and vegetables in for the day – over 9 servings plus tons of superfoods and the shake tastes amazing (4 flavors to choose from).

6. Sitting All Day

Whether you work, commute, and/or go to school, you are likely sitting all day. Sitting greatly reduces muscle contractions and slows the metabolism. This lowers calorie burn, and increases storage of unused energy to fat. Take a few minutes every hour to get up and move around. Breaking up sitting time with short bursts of activity is associated with various health benefits.

7. Not Exercising

Exercise gets the blood pumping, increases “good” cholesterol, strengthens bones and muscles, and reduces the risk for various health problems like type 2 diabetes, cancer, stroke, osteoporosis, and arthritis. Without exercise, you are at greater risk for disease. Additionally you may experience low energy, stiff joints, poor circulation, and difficulty performing physical work. Need some recommendations based on your goals? I would be happy to help you out! You can get a workout in for as little as 10 minutes a day – now you can do that!

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!

Keys to Weight Loss Success

Weight loss has always been a game of changing one’s habits and sticking to a proven routine to reach an ultimate goal. Hard work, diligence and focus on your goals will result in success.

THE 7 KEYS TO WEIGHT LOSS:

#1: KNOWING YOUR FOOD: CARBS, PROTEINS & FATS
It’s learning how to distinguish between the right and wrong fat and the proper integration of carbs, proteins and fats that are key to a healthy diet.

#2: UNDERSTANDING YOUR EMOTIONAL TRIGGERS
Experts state that 75% of overeating (especially eating “comfort” or junk foods) is caused by emotions rather than real physical need for nourishment. We need to be more conscious of why, when and what we are eating, and to understand and consider the emotional triggers that urge us to put certain foods into our mouths and therefore our bodies.

#3: KNOWING YOUR BEHAVIORS:
Ever eaten an entire bag of chips without even being hungry? Do you go five hours or more without eating then find yourself overeating whatever is available? By practicing mindful eating we can recognize our patterns around food and make the changes needed to eat healthy and create positive lifestyle changes.

#4: KNOWING WHAT DRIVES WEIGHT LOSS
Sleep, digestion, energy and stress affect the human body and change its metabolic processes; either helping or hindering weight-loss goals. Weight loss can lead to a more balanced brain function which in turn can make it easier to deal with stressors in our daily lives.

#5: CONTROLLING YOUR PORTIONS
When we control the portion size of our meals we gain a valuable tool against the fight against obesity.

#6: ORDERING EFFECTIVELY OFF A MENU
The secret of knowing how to order food involves being more knowledgeable about terminology. Beware of the buffet, opt for low carb meals earlier in the day, make a special request for substitutions, sharing is caring, avoid another round of drinks, split the sweets, and bring it home!

#7: LEARNING HOW TO WORKOUT ANYTIME & ANYWHERE
One of the biggest excuses people make for not exercising is that they just don’t have the time. By discovering how easy it is to exercise – whether at home, the office or a hotel room – you’ll have the confidence to take on the challenge of losing weight anytime, anywhere. Consider a Beachbody program such as 10 minute trainer or Focus T25 that requires less than 30 minutes 5 days a week. You can learn more about these programs and others on my site listed below and of course, I would be happy to make recommendations based on your overall health and fitness goals!

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!

Bad Habits That Could be Sabotaging Your Weight Loss

Even if you’re making the best food choices most of the time, you could be hampering your weight loss in other ways without even realizing it. How much you sleep, where and when you eat, how organized you are, and how often you exercise are all factors that can impact your ability to lose weight. If you’ve gotten to a point on your weight-loss journey where the scale simply won’t budge, check out these common bad habits and ask yourself if any of them might be standing between you and your weight-loss goal.

You don’t get enough sleep.
Lack of sleep is a huge stressor on the body and puts you at risk for weight gain.. If you’re not getting at least eight hours of quality sleep at night, try hitting the sack earlier. It may help to schedule a bedtime alarm to alert you when it’s time to shut down the computer, turn off the TV and smart phone, and get ready for bed.

You eat your meals in front of a TV or computer screen.
For many Americans, mealtime has become an experience, where cell phones, TVs, MP3 players, computers, tablets, and other gadgets often get in the way of enjoying a meal and spending quality time with family. You might be surprised to learn that taking the time to enjoy your meals without these types of distractions can actually help support your weight-loss efforts, since it curbs the tendency to engage in mindless eating. When you enjoy a meal at your kitchen or dining table and savor every bite, you’ll feel more satisfied and you’ll be less likely to overeat. Stick with your healthy eating plan and start scheduling a distraction-free mealtime routine for you and your family.

You dine out regularly.
Sure, it’s easier to grab a salad out than to prepare one for yourself, but are you aware of all the ingredients going into that takeout salad or into the other meals you don’t eat at home? Dining out and ordering in may be convenient, especially if you have a busy schedule, but if you’re not careful, it can be a recipe for weight gain. When people don’t eat at home, they tend to consume on average 500 more calories per meal than they would if they ate a similar meal at home. When you’re not in control of how your meals are prepared, you’re not only likely to take in more calories but also more bad fats and bad carbs. Make it a habit to cook more of your own meals.

You rarely get any exercise.
Exercise is a sure-fire way to rev up your metabolism and lose weight faster, so if you’re a couch potato and not working out regularly, you’re missing out on major calorie-burning — not to mention health — benefits. And, you don’t need a gym membership to become more active. Interval exercise, in which you alternate between short bursts of intense exercise with easier recovery periods, can be done outdoors or in. You can interval walk or bike around your neighborhood, and if the weather doesn’t permit, climb your stairs or jump rope in your living room in intervals. As a core-strengthening workout, yoga and Pilates are good choices, or you can purchase fitness DVDs such as the ones from Beachbody and message me if you need some recommendations based on your goals (www.beachbodycoach.com/michelevaron).

You’re not organized.
Is your pantry stocked with so many unhealthy snacks that it’s difficult to find a healthy one? Believe it or not, being disorganized can affect your weight loss. Unhealthy foods blocking the way to healthy ones can quickly derail your diet. Other kinds of clutter can also keep you from enjoying distraction-free family meals, a good night’s sleep, or carving out the space you need to do your exercise routine. Schedule a monthly clean-up to remove any unhealthy foods that may have sneaked into your kitchen and make an effort to stay on top of any clutter accumulating in your dining area, living room, bedroom, and basement, too!

You reward yourself with unhealthy food.
Do you typically celebrate your successes with a slice of cake, a box of chocolates, or a bowl of ice cream? Occasionally indulging in a few bites of something decadent just for pure pleasure is acceptable, but regularly rewarding yourself with unhealthy food can really hamper your weight loss. Celebrate by doing something that supports your weight loss and health goals, like getting a massage or buying a new pair of sneakers, a heart-rate monitor or blood pressure cuff, or a set of good knives or grilling tools. Oh, and forget about buying that unhealthy food in the first place!

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!

Dine Out Healthy

Eating out often can be a recipe for weight gain if you’re not careful. The more meals you eat outside your own home, the more likely you are to become overweight and suffer from obesity-related ailments. When people dine out, they tend to eat on average 500 more calories per meal than they would if they ate a similar meal at home. When you’re not in control of how your meals are prepared, you’re not only likely to consume more calories but also more bad fats, bad carbs, and sodium. Of course, there will be many occasions when you’ll want to spend a night out with your family and friends just for fun or to celebrate something special. Here are some easy ways to enjoy a restaurant meal:

1. Choose the restaurant carefully. You’ll make the best food choices when you choose a restaurant that relies primarily on healthy ingredients. That often means avoiding fast-food chains and family/casual restaurants that mostly fill their menus with fried, overly salted, and sugary offerings. Instead, pick a restaurant where you can discuss how the food is prepared with your server and influence what ends up on your plate.

2. Use the menu as a resource. Carefully read the descriptions of the dishes on the menu and then ask the server questions about how the food is prepared. For example: Is the fish fried, sautéed, baked, or broiled? Does the sauce contain butter or cream? How are the vegetable side dishes prepared? And don’t be afraid to ask for a dish to be cooked “your way.” The healthy way.

3. Give the bread basket the boot. If the bread is not in front of you, you’re less likely to grab a piece or three out of habit. Furthermore, eating refined carbs, such as white bread or white rolls, can cause your blood sugar to spike, making you hungrier. If the bread basket is filled with a variety of rolls and breads, then choose a piece that’s whole wheat or whole grain and ask for extra-virgin olive oil to dip it in instead of slathering on butter.

4. Load up on veggies. Skip the side of white potatoes or white rice most restaurants offer and ask for an extra helping of steamed or grilled vegetables to complement your dinner instead. Filling up on high-fiber vegetables curbs your hunger by delaying the absorption of glucose into your bloodstream.

5. Stick with lean protein. Not only does eating lean protein allow you to maintain muscle mass during weight loss, it also helps curb cravings and keeps you feeling fuller longer. The best lean-beef choices are ground sirloin, beef tenderloin, top loin, top round, and flank steak. Other lean-protein choices include skinless turkey and chicken breast, pork loin, fish, and shellfish. You can also go meatless and ask for a dish made with tofu, beans, and/or vegetables. Request that your entrée be baked, grilled, broiled, or sautéed (with extra-virgin olive oil). And ask for sauces on the side.

6. Consider your beverages. For a nonalcoholic beverage, enjoy water, club soda or seltzer with lemon or lime, diet soda, or unsweetened iced tea. If you plan to consume alcohol, it’s best to hold off until your meal is served. Waiting to have a drink until the food arrives will help stabilize swings in blood sugar and prevent cravings. Choose a glass of red or white wine or extra-brut champagne or a light beer with your meal. If you want a cocktail, opt for one made with a sugar-free mixer like diet soda, club soda, or seltzer.

7. Enjoy dessert, in moderation. Order the dessert that is tantalizing you — along with enough forks for your tablemates. Then, savor a few bites and pass the plate to your fellow diners.

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!