Starting at 5pm every night I begin meeting with my “after work” clients who come in to exercise after a long day at the office. Although they may all have different body compositions I can tell you that the one thing they all have in common is high levels of “stress.”

Jason P. Block, MD, MPH, of Harvard found in his research that “For men and women who had a higher body mass index, stress from job-related demands, difficulty paying bills, or depression and anxiety led to weight gain.”

Dr. Block also went on to say, "Our findings show that stress should be recognized as a threat to the well-being of American adults, especially those who are already overweight."

So although you may not be able to control your work environment, you can control your response to it. One way is in your reaction to the situation and the other is to release some of that tension by exercise every morning, mid-day, or after work. Choose the outlet that works best for you. I find that even a 20 minute walk can be enough to unwind, breathe, and relax.

What are some of your favorite healthy ways to beat stress?

Source: American Journal of Epidemiology

Most fruits and vegetables could be considered fat fighting foods but some foods contain specific nutrients that give them a little edge when it comes to fighting fat. Here are some foods that might give you some extra fat fighting properties:

• Remember the old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away?” Well not only do apples taste good they are just plain good for you, and they can help with the weight loss.  Apples are just so satisfying, either on or off any diet. They are delightfully crispy, crunchy, filling and full of fiber, particularly pectin, which may be particularly helpful with weight loss and fighting fat.
• Another fat fighting food food is fennel. Both the bulb and stem can be consumed, raw or cooked. I like it raw as a  refreshingly different salad with carrots and  then  use  a lemon and olive oil dressing. Or gently cook it with a sweet cooking wine and olive oil. Its mild sweet flavor is delicious. For centuries fennel has been known to be a helpful digestive aid which might help metabolize fats. It has been suggested that it may help promote better cholesterol and help cleanse the colon which many health authorities now believe may contribute to a better weight loss.
• Another fat fighting food is the radish, typically used in salads. It’s very low in calories, fat and cholesterol, but high in iron, magnesium and other nutrients. This little veggie helps clean the body’s mucous membrane and dissolve fat in cells.

With all the talk about using kettlebells lately I wanted to clear the air about whether or not you NEED to use them in your own workout program.

The short answer is you do NOT.

There is simply NO exercise that you absolutely must do to get the results you are looking for. Kettlebells are fantastic, but if you don’t know how to use them and don’t want to learn that’s okay… you can still lose weight and reshape your body in other ways.

I just want to you to keep in mind that when you are training on your own you should be doing exercises that you feel comfortable doing so that you stay safe and injury free. That doesn’t mean these exercises should be easy to complete, but you should have a good handle on how to use proper form.

I actually gave myself enough time to get ready this morning (ha!), so I whipped up a smoothie to give me some energy for a long day at work. It turned out delicious and I wanted to share it with you.

If you try it, I hope you enjoy!

I bought my dried organic goji berries from Whole Foods, but you can find them online if you don’t have a health food store nearby. They’re an amazing superfood. If you want to learn more about them, check out this youtube video with superfood expert David Wolfe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80PfJUXBfPI

By making some small changes you can create big results in your weight loss efforts. Health magazine had some readers share their no-diet tips for losing weight that you can easily incorporate into your lifestyle.

1. Walk at lunch time. Schedule time each and every day to take a walk during your work day – this will prevent you from being too tired at the end of your work day to exercise. Walking during lunch can also help you become more productive during your day and you'll make better food choices.

2. Skip the cream and sugar. If you get your coffee or tea light and sweet each day you are adding unnecessary calories and fat into your diet. Slowly make the change to just using low-fat or fat-free milk in your coffee or tea to cut back on calories.

3. Try a baby-workout. This will only work if you have a baby…so if you do use the time you are carrying your child or pushing the stroller as workout time. This will burn calories and can help take off your postpartum weight. 

4. Get competitive. Create your own biggest loser competition and set up a friendly wager with your friends or co-workers to see who can lose the most weight or percentage body fat. Just remember to keep up the motivation after the contest is over!

5. Take your dog for a walk. Exercise does not have to be done at the gym so take your dog out for a good long walk, not just a quick stroll to the curb. Don't have a dog…consider temporary adoption or borrow a friends.

What are some easy changes you made to help with losing weight.

With today being a celebration of Michael Jackson’s life I think it’s only fitting that I write about how dancing can actually be a great way to exercise and burn calories.

I also stumbled across a website where you can learn the famous dance to “Thriller.” You can even join the group and participate in their yearly “Thrill the World” dance party.

So how many calories would you burn if you were to dance for a solid 30 minutes?

Well, if you’re really moving to the music and working up a little bit of a sweat you’ll most likely burn about 185 calories for that 30 minutes (based on a 175 lb person), which isn’t too bad considering you’re having fun at the same time.

So whether you’re looking to pay tribute to the “King of Pop” by dancing to one of his many hits, or just looking to go out and have some fun with friends you should know that all that dancing does add up!

Many a dieter has missed the target to success in weight loss. One simple solution is to always plan ahead regardless of the situation.  “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!”   Do this a few days ahead of time to allow adequate time to prepare for any challenges that may be there.

Apply your planning with everything around food. For example if dining out occurs frequently, figure out where you can go and still make good choices. Check out the menu online to check your options so you can have the leisure of making the best choice. Plan on some comfortable responses when people try to force you into something you really don’t want to eat. ("I had a late lunch," "my doctor said…" "I have a bit of an upset stomach," etc.)

Eating in a cafeteria maybe as fattening as going out. Plan ahead and bring your own lunches. (It also can save you money as well as calories.) Don’t forget to bring some healthy snacks to avoid the mid-afternoon vending machine trap. Have healthy alternatives like fresh fruit and healthy nuts available when the candy dish is kept in your vicinity. Eat every few hours so you will not get overly hungry and overeat later.

These are just a few ways you can plan ahead. Readers what are some other ways you can plan ahead to stay on target? Share your challenges and solutions with us!

It's easy to pack bags of potato chips and head to the beach, but it's not the healthiest thing to take. Here are some ideas of healthy snacks to pack up when you head out to the beach:

• Whole grain pretzels
• Fruit: peaches, plums, cherries, or grapes
• Baked tortilla chips and salsa
• Whole grain crackers with cheese
• Vegetables with hummus
• Soy chips or popcorn
• Granola bars
• Trail mix
• Dry cereal

Don't forget to take a cooler with ice so if you are bringing perishable foods, like cheese, you can keep them at the proper temperature.

What are some of your favorite beach snacks?

The main reason I write about staying healthy in the workplace is because many of us spend more than half of our waking hours behind a desk or on the road…

Just today I saw a report showing that only 7% of those surveyed felt they ate better at work than at home. The main reason for the poor nutritional choices was due to the overwhelming amount of temptations at the office.

So, although the majority of the people at your work most likely want to eat better (#1 request was fresh produce) it seems that it just takes 1 or 2 people to bring in snacks, candy, or take-out food to ruin everyone else’s healthy eating game plan.

My suggestion is that you get these “enablers” to put away their candy stash and join you (and the rest of the office) on starting a new healthy living program. I’m willing to bet you’ll find the majority of the people in your office interested in joining your fight against weight gain and together you can work on eliminating junk food from the office, starting up a lunch time walking group, and making more positive healthy living choices.

Source: Super Market News

This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food

New Blueberry Research

University of Michigan scientists recently presented their new preliminary study in the Experimental Biology convention. They found that a low fat, blueberry-rich diet will help reduce belly fat, cholesterol levels, total body weight, and the total amount of fat in your blood. Previous research studies found that the antioxidants in blueberries help keep fat out of your blood stream. (Ref: Body + Soul Magazine, July/August 2009, p. 33). For more on this research, check out NaturalNews (one of my favorite holistic health sites).

Take advantage of the abundance of fresh blueberries available right now. They’re also cheaper than any other time in the year!