Amy Romero Fitness

My blog has MOVED!

2012-02-08T07:11:00.000-05:00

I'm happy to say I finally moved my blog over to wordpress -- and got a fancy new domain name too... Please visit me at my NEW blog location:

www.AmyRomeroFitness.com

And PLEASE, subscribe to my feed there. If you were subscribed here, those subscriptions do not carry over, sadly :(

Let me know what you think of the new site!

Thanks!
Amy

Jari Love's Get Extremely Ripped 1000 Hardcore - GIVEAWAY WINNER!

2012-02-04T10:53:00.000-05:00

Thank you to everyone who read my review & who entered to win this DVD.

I used random.org's random number generator and have drawn the winner. That winner has confirmed their email and address - CONGRATS to Amy Lacks for winning. I've emailed Collage Video and they'll be sending out your DVD soon. Hope you love it!

There's another review and giveaway coming your way soon...it's Jazzercise Burlesque! Should be fun...keep your eye out here for it.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Eating Heathy on a Budget

2012-02-02T17:21:00.000-05:00

Since I get this question often, I thought I'd talk about it a bit here.

I realize that junk food is typically less expensive than healthy food. But there's ways around it! You can still eat healthy with just a little planning and a possible change in mindset.

Here are my tips, but I'd love to hear yours in comments below!

* First, always, always, always check the weekly ads for your local grocery stores online. Write down all the things you *may* be interested in and what the sale price is and at what store. Once you've done this for all your local stores, compare the items and their prices. Whichever store has the most items you may need for the best prices, you'll want to go there.

* Since you're eating some protein with every meal (every 3 hours), you'll want to find some protein sources that are inexpensive. (You ARE eating a little protein every few hours, right??). Meat does not need to be the only protein source you have. In fact, any vegetarian or vegan will tell you that you don't even need meat at all and you can still get plenty of protein. Some options include: black beans, kidney beans, cannelinni beans, lentils, nut butters, and greek yogurts. Other beans will work too, these are just some thoughts to get you headed in the right direction. You can incorporate beans into a TON of meals. Add them to salads, put them in your casseroles, your soups, etc. Buy your beans in bulk instead of cans to get the most for your money. Get creative, and definitely check out some recipe websites. I love using www.allrecipes.com

* If you are going to use meats as well, buy things such as boneless skinless chicken breasts (more convenient than whole chicken or skin-on types). But only buy them whey they are at the cheapest during the sale cycle. I typically only buy them when they are the lowest, which around here, is $1.99 per pound. I stock up because they won't be that low again for several weeks. Look for discounted lean meats as they approach their expiration date & freeze it. Just eat it before the new stuff you have stored!

* Use Whole grain brown rice in lots of meals. If you buy it in bulk and not in the '10 minute' packs, it's extremely inexpensive and it's filling, easy on your blood sugar and goes with TONS of foods. Use it in casseroles, as a side dish, or under grilled chicken with yummy sauces. Some people even use it in place of spaghetti noodles, etc. Get creative here too!

* Buy frozen veggies when they're on sale. They are fresher this way than in the cans. And they stay good for MUCH longer than fresh produce, so you don't waste money on that bag of fresh carrots you bought that went bad before you could use half of them. Of course use fresh when it's something you really prefer - or if you use it alot. For instance, we use broccoli alot. I put it in casseroles, in salads, and in stir fry. So I can buy fresh broccoli and it won't go bad before I finish it. But if it's cheaper frozen that week, I'm not afraid to use it that way either. Whatever works!

* Double your dinner recipes so you can use leftovers for lunches. It'd typically cheaper and healthier if you cooked your own food rather than getting TV dinners or lunch out somewhere. Just make sure if you're doing this that you ARE making healthy dinners! :)

So that's all I can think of for right now.

What are your best tips for eating healthy on a budget, please tell us below!

~To Your Health~

Weekly Challenge #4

2012-01-29T09:03:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone's been following the weekly challenges. I've been doing them all, of course and love the feeling of accomplishment.

This week I thought I'd do a challenge that was fitness related. Seeing as how the blog is called Amy Romero Fitness. :)

So, your challenge this week is to DO something that makes you sweat 6 days out of 7. I'll be lenient here...and saaaaay, 30 minutes each time. So, if you can only go for a walk, do it. Just take 1 minute out of every 3 minutes and power walk. Pump your arms and move it! Get a sweat going. Then those other 2 minutes, walk normally. Do these intervals for 30 minutes. If you're able, do more. Go run. Pull out an old workout DVD. Or just make an effort to do your current workout HARDER, really push yourself. And do it 6 days out of the week. If you're not sure what you can do, be honest with yourself. Have you TRIED before? How do you know what you're capable of until you try?

Got it? Good!

Now tell me, what workout will you be doing?

Musings on Running

2012-01-28T22:17:00.001-05:00

So running is what got me started on my fitness journey. My husband, my friend Amy and her hubby Troy were all runners and they were always after me to join them. I just didn't really want to. Didn't have that urge, you know? Then a year ago I realized I wasn't happy in my own skin. I'd put on a little weight and just wasn't happy. I knew that I needed to do something instead of ignoring it. So I put a date on it and just STARTED. I went and ran 2 weeks after sinus surgery. It's just the date I picked so I stuck with it. It wasn't easy. I didn't think it would be.

But running is what got my motivation up. I saw progress. I lost some weight, I felt better. And it was mostly due to running. (better diet, too of course).

And it went on from there. Several races. Then a half marathon last November 2011. I was actually enjoying running all throughout the last year. I mixed in some other stuff. Physique 57 & Turbo Fire. Had even better results. Then that half marathon snuck up on me. The training was tough. On my body and my mind. I felt like everything was revolving around running. So the half came and went. And I was officially burned out. Not unusual, I knew. But still, today, January 28, 2 months after the half, I still didn't feel like running. Just didn't.

But I my hubby misses me running with him. And I miss being outdoors during my runs. So I went back and looked at the pictures from the half marathon. I had fun. So I went for a run today. 2 miles only. But it was nice to be out and at it again. Some of the pictures are below...

So there. I've laid it all out there. And I'm a big proponent of laying goals out there. So here's one. My goal is to get 2 runs in per week. 3 miles each. (ish). I have a 10k I've already signed up for that's in 6 weeks. So I'll have to get in some longer runs too, but I'll be happy with the average week at 2 days, 3 miles each. I won't be changing my schedule otherwise, though. I still have Chalean Extreme 5 days a week, 3 strength training and 2 cardio + yoga. Perfection. But I need those runs back.

Who will help hold me accountable? Have you ever gotten burned out doing a particular workout?

~To Your Health~

Amy & Me - Richmond Half Marathon 2011

See? Super happy!

My hubby, Miguel, Me, Troy and Amy. The dream team. Sorta.

Jari Love's Get Extremely Ripped 1000 Hardcore - Review and GIVEAWAY

2012-01-26T16:27:00.004-05:00

~ Note: My blog has moved, please also visit me there for my newest tips/reviews/giveaways! www.AmyRomeroFitness.com ~

I'm honored to have been given an opportunity to review Jari Love's "Get Extremely Ripped 1000 Hardcore". Collage Video sent me this video a couple of weeks ago (along with some others, so those reviews will be coming soon, too!).

Before I even opened the package, the very first thing I noticed was that the title was extremely long. That intrigued me for some reason, so I poked around online about Jari Love a little bit and found that she has received much acclaim for her "Get RIPPED" series. The newest one, "Get Extremely Ripped 1000 Hardcore"is the latest in that same series. Hence the longer name. She bases her workouts on science, and I can appreciate that. For more information about Jari Love, visit her site.

Okay, onto what I thought....

Get Extremely Ripped 1000 Hardcore, first of all, was a little sneaky. The set is unassuming. There's a step (platform) in front of most of the cast. I see that the video is only 30 minutes long. (yay!) But, it snuck up on me. Didn't look very hard. It was.

Jari starts out with a warm up, of course. And after the first set of cardio, I think, "oh, this isn't too bad". And it wasn't. But I didn't realize there was much more to come. I'm used to cardio intervals that are very short. These intervals were more like 5 minutes. And they increased in intensity. So yes, I was dying about halfway through the video. I was relieved that it was not easy. The weight intervals were quick and to the point. Nothing too fancy, and working upper and lower body at the same time, which is a very time-efficient way of working out. I was sweating up a storm before the end of the first interval of each.

I got a little confused a few times, I think her cueing was a little short. And also the cast members were doing several different modifications. I'm used to having one person as a 'modifier' to watch in a workout video. But in this one, there were two people without steps. And those two people did things slightly differently. Then there were 3 people with steps, one being Jari. But Jari even did a modification on several moves. So you had to watch the other 2 cast members to try to follow what the moves should be if you were not modifying. I would prefer that Jari, as the instructor did the entire video as the 'goal' person to watch and then only had 1 other person in the background somewhere doing the modifications. I just found it too confusing to try to keep up with who was doing what when it was always changing.

Overall, I'd recommend this video for people who are looking to lose fat quickly and effectively. If you're new to exercise, definitely follow the folks in the video with no step, and there's also different 'levels' Jari points out during the cardio portions. You can always stick to level 1 and work your way up! The science is here, definitely, and you will get results if you stick with it. If you're used to a little more excitement, you may want to turn on a radio before you start the DVD. Jari is definitely 'to the point' and you won't see any cutting up. The length of the video was perfect, and my muscles were completely spent afterwards. Always a good sign of a great workout! I will be doing it again.

Okay, so I know you're chomping at the bit....

Here's the GIVEAWAY details!! -- The giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks to everyone who entered!

Rules:

You must complete at least the mandatory entry, listed below. Additional entires are available as outlined below. The more entries you complete, the better your chances of winning!
You must reside in the U.S. to win
You must comment ON this blog post for EACH entry you qualify for. Your comments ARE your entries and that's what is used to draw the winner!
I will use a random number chooser to choose the winner from the entries (random.org)
The winner we be contacted via the email address they provided. Failure to respond will result in a new winner being drawn.
Enter by FEBRUARY 3. No more entries after 11:59 pm on 2/3/12 will be counted.
Winner will be drawn and notified on FEBRUARY 4.

To Enter:

Mandatory Entry:

Visit to www.collagevideo.com and COMMENT below, telling me a DVD you find interesting

EXTRA entires: (comment below for EACH entry you qualify for!)

TWO extra entries: SUBSCRIBE to my blog (click the "Join this Site" button in the box to the right where it shows my subscribers. (Leave 2 comments for this so that you get both entries!)

ONE extra entry: "Like" Collage video on Facebook www.facebook.com/collagevideo

ONE extra entry: Follow me on Twitter

FIVE extra entries: Blog about this giveaway

ONE extra entry for EACH day you tweet the following:

#enter to #win Jari Love's Get Extremely Ripped Hardcore DVD www.turboromero.blogspot.com

Good luck everyone! Now, ready, set, GO! :)

Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this video to review. I received no other compensation and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under obligation to provide a positive review in return for the free workout. Giveaway retail value is $14.99.

Weekly Challenge #3

2012-01-24T17:27:00.000-05:00

Do you have goals?

Well how do you keep them in mind? Do you plan tasks that will help you accomplish those goals or are they sort of just arbitrarily hanging out there?

Your challenge this week is to really LIST and organize your goals.

So take 10 minutes. Really sit and think about, say your top 10 goals. Make them wild and crazy. You don't have to show them to anyone...just really be creative and think "What would be the most AMAZING things I'd like to achieve?"

Write them all down, and then on a separate sheet of paper, start brainstorming how they are connected. So maybe one of your goals was to quit work. And another goal was to start your own business. And another was to take more vacations. Take those and order them in the way in which they would need to occur. So if one would lead to another, for instance. So maybe you have to start your own business before you could quit work. Then your business would have to succeed for you to take more vacations, right?

Now decide which one is the one that LEADS to all the rest. Chalene Johnson calls this your "Push" goal. In the example above, the push goal would probably be to start your own business. Because it makes the rest happen. Highlight that one. Put stars around it. Circle it. That's the one that is the KEY for the rest to happen. Now write that one everyone. Save it in your phone. Make it your screensaver.

And start ACTING toward it TODAY. Tiny, baby steps each day. Do something every day that will help you reach that goal eventually. Even if it's just that you'll research one element of something that you'll need to know. Or perhaps it's one little phone call that you'll need to get the ball rolling. Just do something to move you toward your goal.

I'd definitely recommend you pick up Chalene Johnson's book, "Push: 30 Days to Turbocharged Habits, a Bangin' Body, and the Life you Deserve!" She has a very specific, fabulous system to really dive into this and get your life organized and working toward your goals. Why wait, right?

Now, you don't HAVE to share your push goal with anyone. But I think you SHOULD. People can help you. And when you say it out loud, you are much more willing to work toward it. Sooooo, don't be shy, tell us what your BIG GOAL is, below!!

Rodney Yee Yoga Burn DVD Giveaway WINNER!

2012-01-21T10:59:00.001-05:00

Thank you SO much to everyone who entered the Rodney Yee Yoga Burn giveaway! I have several more videos to review and giveaway, and the next one will begin THIS weekend, so stay tuned!

I drew the winner through www.random.org. The winner has been contacted. Congratulations, Andrea, you should get your package from Collage Video soon!

Thanks again for everyone's participation!

Next up, Jari Love's "Get Extremely Ripped 1000 Hardcore" (sneak peek to my review: "oh lawwwwd I'm sore!)

Have a good weekend everyone!

What to do AFTER your workout

2012-01-17T11:48:00.000-05:00

So, most of us probably already consider what to do BEFORE our workout. You probably drink plenty of water, eat an hour or so beforehand, and you probably even warm up for a few minutes before your workout. And then you get your workout in, you give it all you have (right??!) and then what? Do you hit the shower and then go on about your day?

Wait a second!

Try adding in some post-workout rituals to see even more success.

First, make sure you cool down. Alllll the way down. If your heart rate is still up, even a little, keep doing some light work until your heart rate is just about normal. This will help prevent injury, dizziness, and even help that metabolism to keep humming a little while longer.

Second, stretch! Don't skip this part, please! Keep yourself limber and you'll feel better, walk taller, and also help prevent injury. Long, lean muscles don't hurt either, right? Stretch deeply, and hold each stretch for around 30 seconds. Stretch a variety of muscles, even those you don't think you 'worked out'. While you're still a little warm (after cooling down, your muscles are still warm...but definitely stretch BEFORE you hit the showers, before you sit down for a few minutes, etc.)

And finally, make sure you refuel. Your body needs protein to repair the damage you just did. And yes, you did damage your muscles a little...that's how you build muscle, by breaking it down and rebuilding. So rebuild! Grab a high quality protein shake or a little lean protein such as a 3 bean salad, some skinless chicken breast on a salad, etc. Drink more water, too!

So be kind to yourself, recover correctly after your workout, it'll only take a few more minutes and I think you'll like how you feel!

What are your post-workout rituals like?

Weekly Challenge #2

2012-01-15T07:51:00.001-05:00

I hope everyone joined me in the first weekly challenge - DECLUTTER. My husband and I almost completely decluttered the kitchen. We had 2 bags of garbage and one bag of things for donating. There's still a couple of drawers we haven't gotten to yet, but overall, it looks fabulous and I'm feeling good about continuing the momentum through the rest of the house.

So it's time for Weekly Challenge #2 then, isn't it?

For this whole next week, your challenge is to write everything down that you eat. Regardless if you're trying to lose any weight or not. Just write it all down in one little notebook or log it in a word document, or you can even use a website such as www.fatsecret.com to log it easily.

For everything you eat, write down the calories and the carbs listed for the serving size you ate. If you ate something from a package, this will be easy. Pay attention to the serving size though! If you eat something that wasn't packaged such as fruits and vegetables, you can find the nutrition information from a website like www.fatsecret.com or http://caloriecount.about.com/ and log it that way.

The point here is to be more mindful of what you're eating. I'd be willing to bet that even if you think you eat healthy foods, you may be surprised to see it all laid out on paper. I know every time I do this exercise, I discover there's areas I would like to improve on. So, I look forward to seeing what I'm REALLY eating this week. Some questions you'll get answered....how many fruits and veggies are you really eating every day? Do you have dessert more often than you realized? Are your serving sizes bigger than you realized? Do you eat more packaged foods than you wanted to?

Okay, good luck all! Can't wait to hear how it goes!

Have you ever logged your food before? What did you discover?

Review and GIVEAWAY - Rodney Yee "Yoga Burn"

2012-01-13T15:01:00.011-05:00

So I should start by saying, this wasn't my first yoga experience. But it was definitely unlike any other yoga class or DVD I've done.

Rodney Yee's Yoga Burn (http://www.collagevideo.com/workout-video/rodney-yees-yoga-burn-7568) is a stand-out among Yoga DVDs. Collage Video was kind enough to allow me to review this DVD that I already owned - and they are sponsoring the giveaway. You can visit their site here: Collage Video - they've got TONS of workout DVDs from TONS of instructors

First of all, Rodney Yee is possibly the best Yogi I'm aware of. At first, I wasn't too sure about him because, well, he wears very little clothes. But after a few minutes I realized that was very helpful. I'm not sure if it was his intention or not, but with him actually wearing very little, you can see exactly what the alignment of each move should be. It's much easier to know what you're supposed to be doing when you can see so much of him. The camera work was fabulous. There was never a time when they cut away at an inopportune moment. I was pleased they used close ups when needed and pulled back for full-body views often. The set was pleasant-looking and not distracting. Of course the music was typical to that of the 'good' yoga music in my opinion. The only downfall that I found with the video was that it was entirely voice-overed. It just seems a little disconnected in that regard.

This video is called "yoga burn" because you're constantly moving and working. That is how it's different from most yoga practice. I knew within 10 minutes that I was going to be working up a sweat. And I did, and it was refreshing. Rodney stays true to yoga though, and doesn't slip into some weird hybrid to make you work harder and you end up forgetting you're supposed to be doing yoga. Yoga for me is usually slightly difficult, relaxing and definitely increases my stamina and flexibility. This workout was different in that I could feel muscles working much harder and quicker. I did not get bored at all and found the movements much more 'fun' than usual yoga practices. While I was constantly moving, it was not rushed, and I was still able to be very mindful of my movements and my breath. This would be a fabulous workout for people who want to have a faster paced yoga workout and also want to feel challenged and engaged. The video was 60 minutes long, which was the perfect amount of time. For more traditional yoga practices, I'd go longer, but since this was more challenging, I was definitely ready for the cool down when it came.

I felt very strong and relaxed at the end and it made me realize I really need to work more of this type of workout into my schedule. I typically stick to strength training and a little cardio, but I'm committing now to work this workout in at least once per week...for myself. It's like dessert! :) So, yes, I would recommend this to a friend. But not a beginner.

To make it a little more interesting, I have some pictures of me doing this video. Of course, they're still shots, so you can't tell that I'm moving, moving, moving, but I still thought you may like to see, especially if you're not already familiar with yoga at all. Or. Maybe you'd like to just marvel at how pale I am in the winter? Either way, here ya go - and yes that's my Christmas tree up. In the middle of January. Hey, at least it's not June and still up...! (And stay tuned thru the pictures for the GIVEAWAY details!) :)

Okay, now onto the long awaited part...

The GIVEAWAY!

If you think you'd like to try this video, please enter the Giveaway. Collage Video has graciously agreed to sponsor the giveaway, and for that, I thank them immensely.

Here are the rules:

You must complete at least the mandatory entry, listed below. Additional entires are available as outlined below.
You must reside in the U.S. to win the giveaway
You must comment ON this blog post for EACH entry you qualify for
I will use a random number chooser to choose the winner from the entries
Enter by JANUARY 20. No more entries after 11:59 pm on 1/20/12 will be counted.
Winner will be drawn and notified on JANUARY 21.

To Enter:

Mandatory Entry - Visit the Collage Video website and comment below with another of their videos you find interesting

Extra entries - 2 Entries for Subscribing to my blog (Amy Romero Fitness) (Comment below once you're subscribed telling me you did so (include the name you subscribed with!), or to tell me you're ALREADY a subscriber!)

Extra entry - 1 Entry "Like" Collage Video on Facebook (Collage Video ) (Comment below once you Like them on Facebook telling me you did so.)

Extra entry - 1 Entry EACH day that you share on your facebook wall: "Enter to win Rodney Yee's "Yoga Burn" DVD! Visit www.turboromero.blogspot.com to enter today!"(Comment below each day you share that on your facebook page.)

Extra entry - 1 Entry for following ME on twitter - @AmyRomeroVA (Comment below once you are following me, or let me know you ALREADY follow me and include your twitter handle)

Extra entry - 1 Entry EACH day that you TWEET: "Enter to #win Rodney Yee's Yoga Burn! Enter at turboromero.blogspot.com"(Comment below to let me know on the days you tweet this and include your twitter handle)

All right, good luck everyone!

*I did not receive this video at no-cost, and was not compensated for this review*
This, and many other wonderful giveaways can be found at www.contestgirl.com

It's all about the choices

2012-01-11T15:54:00.000-05:00

So we all know that one of the ingredients to being healthier is "making better food choices", right? Until recently, I thought that sort of self-explanatory. Then, I heard a friend telling me about what she'd snacked on that day. Then I remembered several other similar conversations with her. And it hit me. She didn't really know what "better choices" meant, and she was thinking that eating small amount of stuff equaled "better choices". And to an extent, that's true. BUT, at some point you have to also consider the type of foods and the quality of them.

If you're finding yourself eating frozen dinners several times a week, you may consider some other choices. If you pay attention to what you're eating, you may see some patterns developing. So maybe you only eat a few chicken tenders. But they are still breaded. And fried. And you eat them, or chicken nuggets or popcorn shrimp, etc several times a week...or maybe even more. Well, that's where you start to see the pattern. You may keep your serving size small (or so you think), but you're still eating fat-laden, fried, not-so-good-for-you food. I'm a proponent of indulging sometimes. But you must be honest with yourself. First, figure out what indulging really means. And then be honest with how often you ARE indulging.

A good rule of thumb on what your diet *should* look like is that most of it should be clean foods. And whole foods. And by clean, I mean real. If you got it in a box, it's probably not clean. Look for FRESH or frozen (not canned) fruits and vegetables. Look for minimally processed meats, and even preferably organic and local. The fresher the better. Whole grains are great. Just make sure they REALLY are whole grain. And organic milk, low fat greek yogurt, etc are wonderful protein choices that are healthful and yummy. So, you see the things I left out are things like chicken nuggets. And lunch meat. And pre-packaged soup. Pre-packaged meal-in-a-box just add beef (you know what I'm talking about). The list goes on. So if you truly can't live without chicken nuggets. Great, eat them. Once a week. No more. And THAT'S your indulgence. Just because you eat that only once a week doesn't mean there's a free pass to then also eat frozen pizza twice a week. And ice cream twice a week. And so on. Before you know it, you're indulging every day and you have not changed your eating habits.

If you're trying to make better choices about your diet, make sure you know what you're looking for. And keep a food journal. Every day for a month, at least. Write down every little thing you eat, including sauces, dressings, dips, etc. You may be surprised at what you find. And you can always find more info here on my blog, just click the 'diet' link above to find my older blog posts about calories, meal timing, snack ideas, etc.

Comment below! Would love to hear your food choices, good and bad, obstacles you may have to eating healthier, questions you have....whatever you have for me! I'm always here to help!

~To Your Health~

A Guest Blog - Feel Refreshed For the New Year

2012-01-10T19:25:00.000-05:00

My guest blogger last week was wonderful. So here's another article from her to you. Thank again Liz! Please leave any questions or comments for her below!

Ways to Feel Refreshed for the New Year

The New Year is symbolic of a fresh start. It's the perfect time for individuals to invite positive change into their lives. By rejuvenating oneself it makes it easier to let go of the past year and welcome new and exciting possibilities. Here are several ways to feel refreshed for the New Year.

Just Say Om

Yoga links the breath with movement to cultivate mindfulness and the ability to live in the present moment. These qualities are helpful when striving for a truly fulfilling, satisfying year. Fitness buffs will thrive in a more intense style, such as Vinyasa, Ashtanga, or Bikram. Students tone up, increase flexibility, get a cardiovascular workout, and leave class feeling calm and ready to take on challenges. Different postures, as well as the heat in Bikram yoga, detoxify the body leaving one feeling renewed. Those who prefer a slower pace will benefit from Hatha or Gentle yoga.

Smile!

The smile is one of the first things people notice. Yellow, stained teeth can be disheartening. Teeth whitening is truly refreshing and restores the beauty and sparkle to the smile. White teeth provide a boost in self-esteem which can have a positive impact on other areas of the life. While professional in-office whitening treatments have the most dramatic effects, home whitening kits have made huge strides. Strips, gels, and trays create long lasting, substantial results. MD, VA and DC dentist offices offer a variety of teeth whitening services so it is important to find the right one for the individual. Having white teeth is a quick and easy way to feel more confident and look several years younger.

Pack your Plate with Vegetables

While this tip may seem obvious, most people do not eat the recommended amount of vegetables. Vegetables provide essential nutrients without adding excess calories to the diet. Vitamins and minerals are better absorbed by the body when acquired through food. This leaves individuals feeling invigorated and gives them more energy as well as a vast array of health benefits. Somewhere between 2 1/2 and 3 cups of vegetables per day is ideal. Try adding dark leafy greens and multi-colored vegetables to achieve superior health.

Get to Bed

Make a conscious effort to get at least seven hours of sleep per night. A lack of sleep is linked to weight gain, increased stress, a decline in cognitive functions, a decrease in immunity and more. Sleep is the best way to recharge, allowing for better focus and concentration, more energy, and a faster metabolism. As a bonus, mental, emotional, and physical health will greatly improve.

Liz Davies is a recent college graduate and aspiring writer especially interested in beauty and fashion. She wants to make a difference in people’s lives by spreading positive messages. Liz also likes shopping, hanging out with friends, reading and playing with her dog, April.

Weekly Challenge #1

2012-01-05T15:12:00.001-05:00

All right, it's a new year, I'll try a new THING!

How about a weekly challenge?

Are you up for it?

I think it'll be a mixture of things, anything from a food challenge, to a fitness challenge, to a personal challenge. What do you think?

So, it's the first week of 2012. Woo hoo! Happy new year! Let's try to make ourselves even better than we already are.

So your challenge for this week: DECLUTTER

* I challenge you to go into one room of your house. With two trash bags. One marked DONATE, and one not marked. That one will be for trash. Go through all the drawers, cabinets, shelves in that room before this time next week. You can do a couple of shelves in one night and then break until tomorrow. But your goal is to FILL BOTH BAGS! I know you can do it. Be real with yourself. Which items have you not touched in the last year? Which items do you hate? Which items have you forgotten you had? Chances are you can DO without them. If something's broken, worn out, or useless, put it in the trash bag. If it's useful, but just not for YOU anymore, put it in the donate bag and then TAKE it to be donated the moment it's full. Don't let it sit around!

When you declutter your home you're decluttering your life. So let's have a fresh start for the year and get one whole room clear of all clutter. One more rule. As you declutter, remember to also clean, wipe, dump any random bits, dust, grody-ness as you go. May as well be clean as well as clutter free since you're already touching it all! :)

Would love to hear how it goes and if you ACCEPT my challenge this week. Comment below and let us know what room you'll be doing, or if you are choosing to declutter something else.

If you're unable to comment please let me know via email! fithappy@yahoo.com

Now OFF you go! And don't worry. I'm doing it WITH you!

~To Your Health~

A GUEST BLOG! ~ Boost in Health for Cancer Patients ~

2012-01-04T19:05:00.003-05:00

By: Liz Davies

Over the last year there has been a lot of research done that found how exercise affected cancer patients.

There are many physical issues cancer patients encounter when going through treatment like pain, nausea, lessened bone density, and decreased appetite. Exercise has proven to lessen these side effects. Emotionally, exercise has been proven to increase patients’ self-esteem and decrease the likelihood of depression and anxiety that often invades cancer patients’ lives. At this time of their lives, cancer patients have a lot on their plates so any ways they can help themselves feel better both physically and emotionally should be taken advantage of.

The recommended amount of exercise for Americans is about 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily. This will vary person to person and there are many other factors that will change the frequency, type and intensity of the exercise regimen. The stage and type of cancer, type of treatment, and any other health issues are examples of factors that will determine the appropriate exercise routine. An individual with Stage I Breast Cancer is going to have a completely different routine from someone undergoing chemotherapy for stage IV mesothelioma cancer. There are personal trainers who work specifically with cancer patients who along with oncologists can provide a patient with a fitting regimen.

It is critical to be smart about the level and amounts of exercise. When signs such as dizziness, intense pain or blurred vision occur this is a sign to stop. It is very important to decided on the right amount of exercise because too little or too much will not show the results that are so helpful for cancer patients’ recovery.

Liz Davies is a recent college graduate and aspiring writer especially interested in health and wellness. She wants to make a difference in people’s lives because she sees how cancer has devastated so many people in this world. Liz also likes running, playing lacrosse, reading and playing with her dog, April.

Thank you Liz, for your guest blog, I'm honored to have you! Liz can be contacted at healthylizd@gmail.com

Fitness Tips for the New Year

2012-01-03T08:26:00.001-05:00

So, since it's a new year, I know lots of people are planning to lose some weight. In fact, CNN.com is doing a poll today; it simply asked if you are planning to lose weight this year. When I checked, 77% of the responders said yes. That's a big number. And I suspect some folks don't even know where to start or may feel overwhelmed. So I thought I'd try to break down some basics here.

To lose a few pounds and get healthier, one must commit to themselves that they really want it. With a little hard work and dedication, you can lose the weight. No matter your perceived obstacle, it can be done.

Here are some changes you can make starting today so that you can lose the weight you're hoping for.

1) Eat enough. Yes, you read that right. You must feed your metabolism. If you're eating 2 meals a day, you're not eating enough. Even if they're big meals, its not enough. When you go more than a few hours without eating, your blood sugar crashes and your metabolism slows. Try eating every 2-3 hours. And DONT skip breakfast. None of these meals have to be big. You may feel like you just can't eat because you're not hungry. That's a sign that you've sloooowed your metabolism! If you don't feel hungry in the morning, try drinking a glass of water when you wake up, then about 30 minutes later, eat a scrambled egg. For me, that's not enough, but for getting yourself used to eating again, you may need to start there. Eventually, there's no reason why you shouldn't be eating a couple of eggs and a piece of whole wheat toast. Your snacks can be just as small. A handful of pistachios or a few wheat crackers with cheese, things of that sort.

2) Eat at least one fruit per day, use it as one of your snacks. Eat vegetables with every meal. No excuses. Your body needs and craves it. AND it'll fill you up without excessive calories. And weight loss boils down to that....calories in vs. calories out.

3) Drink water, cut out sodas. Yes, even diet sodas. Regular sodas are horrendous for you, with an insane amount of sugar. Truly. Insane. Diet sodas cut out the sugar and calories of course, but they've been shown to make your body crave sugar. So you're more likely to eat more later or indulge more with sugary sweets than you normally would. If you must have soda with something (For instance, I simply MUST have soda when I'm having a burger) then drink part of a diet soda. And make that all the soda for the day. Drink water all day long, starting when you first wake up.

4) Walk for 30 minutes every day. Yes, every day. It's only a walk, not a run or weights, you can do this every day, and to get the calorie burn you need to lose some weight, you need to be consistent with this. If you truly do not have 30 minutes to walk each day, then split it up, 15 minutes in the morning before work and 15 minutes either on your lunch break or after work. Do not skip this step. It's key, and it will give you results. And, if you choose to push further later, it will set you up for success if you decide to start a more intense workout program.

5) Sleep. Do not underestimate the power of sleep. When you do not sleep enough hours, your metabolism will slow, and your stress hormones will signal your body to store fat.

So those are the basics as I see it. If you already do all of these things and you're still wanting to lose some weight, you should consider a more intense workout. This does not mean you have to run marathons. There are fabulous, safe, fun workouts that will do the trick. Your body will get used to one activity. So after walking every day for a month, you very well may plateau, that's when you'll want to mix up your routine. Right now, I've stopped running and I'm doing resistance training, Chalean Extreme. I'm soooo excited I'm doing it, because I'm already seeing the results I was hoping for. Long, lean muscles! Hooray! Don't be afraid of weights, and don't be afraid to start an actual program. They're effective and people love them for a reason!

As always, I'm here to help... comment below or email me if you'd like more specific advice on losing weight, getting fit, nutrition, or whatever!

fithappy@yahoo.com

~To Your Health~

It's a NEW year, what will YOU do with it?

2012-01-01T19:05:00.000-05:00

It's a fresh start. Even if you don't like the work 'resolutions'. I personally think New Years Resolutions are a fabulous idea. Call them 'goals' if 'resolutions' bother you. And I think you SHOULD reach for the stars with them. Have you ever read the book "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill? You should. Basically the book explains, what you DECIDE you'll accomplish, you will. You must believe it, make it so in your head...and it WILL become. So why not reach for the stars? Don't be afraid of setting goals, that's how you grow.

Having said that, it's also known to be beneficial to set your goals and tell others about them. They can help you keep accountable, even if they don't mean to. So go ahead, take out a sheet of paper RIGHT NOW. Think about the one thing...that if everything went perfectly, you'd just LOVE to accomplish. What's your perfect life like? Be specific. Don't just say, "I want to be rich". Instead, say, "I want to finish school and start my own business in my field, and help a thousand people with widgets this year". This may lead to you being rich, but that's not the goal. See the difference?

So do it. List your one big goal. Now list 5 or 6 little goals that you'd need to do in order to reach that goal. Put it on your fridge. Or your bathroom mirror. Don't be afraid to look at it every day. And then WORK toward them all, starting today. No excuses.

Would love to know some of your goals for 2012! Comment below if you'd like! :)

~To Your Health~

The Battle of the Holiday Bulge

2011-11-03T14:21:00.000-04:00

That's right, the holidays are here. Both of the big holidays around my family, Thanksgiving and Christmas are a wonderful time of year. I always look forward to seeing family and eating lots of yummy stuff. And though I care about health and wellness, I am NOT interested in having some sort of crazy Thanksgiving dinner where we all eat turkey salad instead of turkey, gravy, ham, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and green beans.

Some folks plan to gain a few pounds in the months of November and December. I mean, really, with all those delish meals and holiday gatherings, office parties, and random bakers showing up with cookies, who can blame us for gaining a few, right? The problem lies with gaining more than a few. Or for some of us, keeping those few and then gaining a few more the next year too. Really, it's about habits. If you allow yourself to 'let loose' for two months, you've developed a very strong habit of eating decadent, fat-laden, sugar dense foods by that juncture, right?

So here's how I handle the holidays so that I don't change my habits too much but I can still enjoy myself and indulge for parties and family gatherings:

* I eat very well during the week, exactly like I should. Breakfast, lunch and dinner with a few healthy snacks in between. Whole grains, little sugar, plenty of lean protein, veggies and fruits. This is easy during the work week since I'm at my desk and there's very little 'bad stuff' calling my name. If this gets hard, I just remind myself of all the goodies coming up soon. I also LOVE how I feel when I've eaten very clean for a couple of days in a row. That feeling is a great motivator.

* On the day of a holiday party or gathering I eat VERY light up until the party. I stick to lean meats and veggies if I can. I space out my light meals and snacks so that I never get hungry. Then, right before leaving for a party, I'll have one last snack, maybe just an apple. Something light but that will help me to not feel ravenous when I get there. Then I let myself eat what I want at the party. Or have the cocktail I want. If something is really really terrible for me, I still may eat it, but just a little bit of it. I still may be over my calorie intake for the day, but it SHOULD average out for the week since I ate VERY well during the workweek.

* Cold weather makes me want to work out less. Instead of giving in, I accept that I may not be the 'workout go-getter' that I am in the summer. So I make a deal with myself. I just make myself get changed and press play - and just do 20 minutes of a good workout DVD. If I feel great, I very well may keep going. But if I'm still not into it, my deal with myself was 20 minutes, so I can stop after 20. This way I still get a little workout in, without too much heartache. This is one of the biggest keys to keeping motivated throughout the holidays and through winter. I also find running in cold weather to be MUCH more pleasant than in hot weather. So I am able to make myself run a few days a week still, this is a huge help since every mile run equals about 100 calories. Whaaat!!!???

* I weigh myself once a week - in the morning before breakfast - and keep a log of it. I also log my basic measurements. This isn't meant to punish myself. Rather it's to make sure I notice if something is going awry. If I gain a pound, I don't care. But if I've gained 5 and it's consistent, I know I need to make a change. If that happens, I add in a few more miles of running every week. I cut out desserts during the week, any little change that will adjust a few hundred calories each day. It's much easier to catch this early on and adjust than it is to try to get 10 or 15 pounds off in January. A lot less heartache this way too! Small changes are key. And maybe another small change it at the next holiday party, you take one less serving of hors d'oeuvres. Or ask for a rum and diet coke instead of a rum and coke. :)

* Finally, the days of the 'big' meals...Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Here's my plan of attack. I get up and I run before I do anything. (well, okay, I have some water and a half of a bagel before my run). And I run hard and a little further than usual. So if I normally would do 3 miles, I'll do 5. It's not punishment. It's preparation. If you're not a runner, you can still do something like this. Go for a walk for 45 minutes. Don't stroll. Walk! Go GET it! Sweat a little. Get back and do a few pushups too while you're at it! This will get your metabolism humming for the day. You'll need it later. Now the rest of the day, while things are cooking - TRY to drink lots of water. And for snacks while cooking, cook up some baked kale chips, or snack on a veggie tray. Do eat a light breakfast. Do eat a light lunch if your Thanksgiving dinner is at night. Skipping these meals will slow your metabolism. Keep it high so you can burn through that gigantic meal. And finally, eat all the things you love. Really! Do it. The one caveat, is TRY to keep the really rich stuff to one serving. You CAN do it! Double up on your turkey, veggies or potatoes if you want to. Then, after the big meal, get out and move a little again. You may not feel like running, but you can go for a stroll for another 30 minutes.

I hope this helps you feel prepared for this season - the season of the bulge... Just remember, prevention is MUCH more pleasant than having to make a new year's resolution to lose all that holiday weight!

If you have other tips, I'd love to hear them below!

~To Your Health~

Are YOU ready to take the Beachbody Challenge?

2011-10-24T09:36:00.004-04:00

Are you Ready to Take the Beachbody Challenge?

Every month I will be hosting a challenge for people to take part in but it’s not going to be like any other challenge, this will be quite different. I have hosted VERY successful challenges and have seen a lot of my friends and customers have GREAT results and success but there was also something that bothered me when I hosted them… it bothered me so much that I actually haven’t hosted a challenge in a while. What bothered me was that so many people would commit and then only a handful would follow through. I blamed myself for that because maybe there was something I personally could have done to make them stay on track and stay strong. BUT I realized it would be impossible for me to do that with the large number of challengers I had each time.

SO This is going to be very small and intimate with only 5 people and we all will commit to our fitness goals, health goals, diet, and stay accountable to one another. We will all be in this together and what is so cool about these challenges I will be hosting starting in November is that we will all be doing the SAME THING… we will all be doing the same workout program, drinking shakeology, tracking our progress, staying connected in our private facebook group, etc. So if you are thinking “well I don’t have shakeology” well then YES what I am saying is you will have to commit to getting on shakeology and drinking it 1x per day. This will be a commitment for the 5 people I take in and I want us all to be 100% committed… I plan on giving 110% of myself to YOU to help you reach success and I want you to have the same commitment!

By joining my challenge you will automatically get 1 month FREE of Beachbody Club membership (WOO HOO!) this is a great tool to have for all of us because we will all be starting at a different point in our fitness. With the club membership you will get a customizable meal planner that will make reaching your goals even easier. Oh and by thew way, another HUGE BONUS is you get 10% off all your beachbody products by being a Club Member. You’ll also be entered into daily drawings when you track your workouts online to win CASH just for working out!

Before I recap the exact details I want you to ask yourself these questions….

1. Do you want to get healthy?

2. Do you want to fit in your skinny jeans?

3. Do you want to look in the mirror and feel GOOD about what you see?

4. Do you want to have energy?

5. Do you want to add years onto your life ?

6. Do you want to set a good example for your children or friends?

7. Do you want to have a more positive attitude?

8. Do you want to build relationships with others going through the same things?

9. Do you want to have more confidence

10.Do you want to get your life on track and start a new healthy lifestyle?

I think we all want those things and THIS challenge is the answer to help you achieve those goals. It takes 21 days to create a habit and with this you will have others looking to see if you did your workout and hearing from YOU that day so that accountability will keep you on track!

So, are you interested? OF COURSE YOU ARE .… Before I break it down for you FIRST you need to go to https://www.teambeachbody.com/signup/-/signup/free/103475 to sign up for a FREE account with me so I am your official Beachbody Coach.

Now, Let me break it down for you…

Amy Romero’s Beachbody Challenge:

1. DECIDE & COMMIT to joining my Beachbody Challenge

2. Choose the workout program you would like to do

3. Choose Chocolate or Greenberry Shakeology

4. Receive CHALLENGE CONFIRMATION email from me with tips on how to track progress, how to measure, recipes, fitness tips, goal setting, how to schedule workouts, how to join our PRIVATE facebook challenge group, Private kick off info, etc

5. Follow through for 3 months and Succeed!

WHAT’S A CHALLENGE PACK?

Shakeology Home Direct
Fitness Program (such as Turbo Jam, Turbo Fire, P90X, Insanity, etc)
Team Beachbody Club - FREE 30 day trial

BY GETTING A CHALLENGE PACK YOU SAVE $$$$$

	$160 Pack	$180 Pack	$205 Pack
Retail Price	$185.75	$206.33	$249.69
Savings	$25.75	$26.33	$44.69

CONTACT ME ASAP if you are interested or have any questions … remember I’m only taking the first 5 people! Email Me: fithappy@yahoo.com or on facebook: www.facebook.com/avromero

Challenge Packs available to order from www.TurboRomero.com on November 1st

~To Your Health~

Tips for new runners

2011-10-17T08:45:00.000-04:00

So I'm on a half marathon training team. And there's TONS of people there every Saturday running our weekly 'long' runs. And I see and hear so many things from folks about aches and pains - that could be easily prevented. Luckily, before I started running, my husband had been running for several years. Throughout that time, I learned all the things he did wrong, through his trial and error and from learning from other runners. This means I didn't have to go through all those things. So I thought I'd share some of them here so that maybe some new runners won't have to go through those things either. These are some of the most common mistakes that lead to unpleasant aches and pains that could be prevented. If you're a runner - and have something to add here, please do leave a comment below!

1) Don't wear anything that has ANY cotton in it. Remember, cotton is rotten! :) Choose your socks, underwear, shorts/pants and tops that have absolutely 0% cotton in them. Any cotton and you'll have material that holds onto wetness, gets heavy and worse still, makes some very nasty friction. You don't want chafing...and that can happen easily with any cotton in your clothing. Polyester, Rayon, etc will dry quickly, is lighter and doesn't hurt!

2) Always, always, always warm up for a few minutes before a run. Dynamic stretching is considered by many seasoned runners as a great way to get your muscles and joints ready for the run. Google "dynamic stretching for runners" if you're unfamiliar with what this looks like.

3) Don't skimp on shoes. I know it hurts some people to pay $100 for a pair of shoes. But let me tell you now; you can skimp on your pumps, your flats, your dress shoes if you want...but if you want to save your joints and prevent injury, you will not want to skimp on running shoes. Please do not go to a store and pick out your own shoes your first few times. Go to a running store. Not a sporting goods store, not a mass retailer, an actual, specialty running store. They'll check your gait, your feet, and talk about your needs to find the perfect shoe for you. After a few times, you may be able to pick out your own once you know what's best for you. But leave it to the pros the first few times! And don't forget, running shoes need to be replaced regularly. Several times a year, or more depending on your mileage. Replace them every few hundred miles or so.

4) Stretch WELL after every single run. Even if the run felt easy. Stretch everything you can. And do it well. Stretch your calves, hamstrings, quads, IT band, hip flexors, glutes....and even your arms/shoulders. Hold each stretch 30 seconds if you can.

5) Rest after a hard run. If you've never run 5 miles before...and then tomorrow you do run 5 miles, that's a big deal to your body. Take the next day off. You can do another workout if you want to, but try to rest your legs. The rest time is when your muscles heal and rebuild. Don't skip it...that's how you build strength and prevent injury.

6) Try not to increase your weekly mileage more than 10% each week. And listen to your body. If you're absolutely exhausted or you have some persistent aches and pains, take a couple days off. Use ice/heat as necessary...and don't be afraid to take ibuprofen for aches and pains. Just don't take it BEFORE a run. You very well may get some awful stomach pain if you do!

7) Hydration, even in winter, is key to an effective, pleasant run. Drink enough water EVERY day, but be extra cognizant the day before a run and the morning of a run. Drink about 64 ounces every day, or more or less depending on your body and activity level. Remember, if you'll be running in very hot weather, you ought to take water on your run with you. They make handy little running belts with water bottles that are super convenient. Even if it's not hot, you should have water with you (or sports drink) if you'll be running an hour or more. You may also consider bringing some snacks with you on these long runs too. Think of simple sugars, that's what your body needs during these runs. Gummy bears, pretzels, or the little packets of Gu or Accel Gel work great.

8) Don't forget to EAT. About an hour before your run, you should eat something. It's your fuel, don't skip it. Try simple carbs and a little protein. Stay away from too much fiber. You may need to play around with what works best for you. For me, 1/2 a wheat bagel with a tablespoon or 2 of peanut butter gets me through about an hour run. Then I use the gummy bears, etc mentioned above. If I eat a heavier breakfast, I don't feel too well on my run. This may differ for you, but I'd start out smaller and work your way up if you start getting hungry too quickly.

9) Don't be afraid of fitted clothes for running. Compression or tighter clothing chafes less (as long as there's no cotton, as mentioned above!) and also helps to keep you cooler or warmer, depending on the weather. Some folks even swear by compression because they feel that it helps their muscles stay comfortable and supported. Personally, my compression capris are now my FAVORITE thing to run in, because of the way it makes my legs muscles feel.

10) Regarding your stride, try to keep a few things in mind right off the bat. Try not to land heavily on your foot. Also try not to land directly on your heel. Don't be afraid to go a little slower or faster if it helps the way you land. Keep your elbows at about a 90 degree angle, close to your body and swing your arms slightly and only from the shoulder. Don't make fists, keep your hands loosely closed, sort of like you're holding something fragile in each hand. Keep your head lifted, looking out toward the horizon and keep your shoulders back, and your back straight. Lean every-so-slightly forward, but do not bend at the hips. This will all help prevent injury and back soreness and will definitely help you waste less energy with your arm-swing & gait. If you have trouble picturing what this all looks like, check this video out; it includes even more little pieces to the running form puzzle - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx6x2cD6Y8Q

Most importantly, just try to have fun and enjoy the scenery around you. Run outdoors if you can, in my opinion, it creates a better environment and also trains your muscles more effectively since there are hills and changes in the trails. Just stay away from running on concrete - shin splints LOVE concrete :)

I'd love to hear from other runners, comment below if you have something add or correct!

~To Your Health~

Do you HIIT?

2011-10-13T11:21:00.000-04:00

If not, you should.

It's said to burn 9x more fat than steady state cardio. Yep, that means if you walk at a steady pace for 30 minutes, you'd burn 9 TIMES that if you were doing HIIT instead. More bang for your buck. More fun. And more effective. So why aren't you doing it? Don't know how? Don't know if it's for you?

You can do it by pushing your cardio to about 80% of your max for a minute or so, then taking another minute to 'cool down' a little bit. Then do it again. That easy. And it CAN be for you! Turbo Fire is my FAVORITE HIIT workout - it has lots of plyometric-style moves and Chalene is the best! It's a ton of fun. And for those folks who aren't ready to jump around and get crazy, there's always a modifier. You can follow her; her feet don't leave the ground, totally low-impact. If you want to try HIIT on your own, you can do it on a treadmill by alternating 1 minute sprints with 1 minute recovery jogs. This will give you a good idea of how it feels, but it can get boring. Cue Turbo Fire once that boredom sets in. But hey, that's just me. I look forward to the workouts and look better and feel better than I ever have...so I'm a true fan for life :)

If you want to try HIIT on your own and would like any more details - or support - I'm happy to help, just shoot me an email! fithappy@yahoo.com

Now go KILL that cardio and don't spend an hour every day on the treadmill when you could be getting MUCH better results from 15-20 minutes of HIIT!

~To Your Health~

A good piece of advice

2011-10-07T11:56:00.001-04:00

You know how they always say not to go to the grocery store hungry? Well, that's still true, but I'd like to put it out there that it's also not wise to leave home at ALL when you're hungry. You're a lot more likely to eat something away from your house that you wouldn't normally choose. When you're trying to make healthier diet choices, eating out increases your chances of making poor choices. Have a snack before you leave the house to run errands or even before you go to work. Just make it a healthy snack. It'll help you eat less calories in the long run and also help prevent making poor quality choices as well. And hey, you'll probably save some money this way too. Grabbing an apple on the way out the door is a heck of a lot cheaper than a value meal at your nearest fast food restaurant.

Some good options to keep in your kitchen for these last minute snacks are fruit, single serve chocolate milks, greek yogurts, kashi cereal bars, string cheese, shakeology, or small baggies full of raw veggies. Even if you're not hungry before you head out, it may be a good idea to grab a piece of fruit on the way out the door anyway. If you're like me, you'll be hungry in an hour or two, and if you're still out and about away from the house then, you'll have that fruit ready.

I'm sure there's other great options for snacks on the go...what are your favorites?

~To Your Health~

Top 10 workout songs for October

2011-10-06T14:25:00.000-04:00

Alllll right, the list is in!

Hope you all saw September's list. If you missed it, check back a few posts earlier and have a peruse. Love that this site is searchable and it includes Beats Per Minute (BPM). PERFECT for your workouts, and especially for running!

Here's October's top 10 list, according to votes placed at RunHundred.com--the web's most popular workout music blog.

Rihanna & Calvin Harris - We Found Love - 128 BPM

Dev - In The Dark - 125 BPM

Afrojack & Eva Simons - Take Over Control - 128 BPM

LMFAO - Sexy And I Know It - 129 BPM

Chris Brown & Benny Benassi - Beautiful People - 129 BPM

Shortee & Faust - Friday Night Special - 133 BPM

Kelly Rowland & Lil Wayne - Motivation (Rebel Rock Remix) - 130 BPM

Britney Spears - I Wanna Go (Oliver Remix) - 129 BPM

Young The Giant - My Body - 130 BPM

David Guetta & Usher - Without You - 128 BPM

To find more workout songs-and hear next month's contenders— check out the free database at RunHundred.com. Visitors can browse the song selections there by genre, tempo, and era-to find the music that best fits with their particular workout routine.

Hope you all find some new gems out there. Would love to hear your new favorites, comment below!

Database Contact:
Chris Lawhorn
Run Hundred
Email: Admin@RunHundred.com

It's the quality of your food that counts, too.

2011-10-04T09:15:00.002-04:00

We've probably all been told (or told ourselves), "If you can just stop eating chips (or sweets, or fast food), you'll be good to go". Well if only it was that simple!

We like to think that eating out is the enemy. And it is, to an extent. But if you're not keeping a careful eye on what you're fixing your family every night for dinner, it may not be much better than eating out.

Case in point; do you cook frozen pizza for dinner? How about breaded chicken tenders from the freezer? Maybe macaroni and cheese as a side with dinner? Take a peek at those labels. You may be surprised. All the calories, fat & sodium in these convenience foods is enough to make a grown man at least wince. Or enough to put on a few pounds. Just because you bought it from the store doesn't make it healthy. For instance, there's typically enough calories and fat in a 'side' of macaroni and cheese to just about equal what a whole dinner SHOULD be. Especially if you made it from a box.

Eating healthy and lean doesn't have to be complicated. You just have to be aware. Your homework is to check every label of every item you use regularly and look at the serving size too. Be honest with yourself. If the serving size of your spaghetti noodles says 1/3 cup, put 1/3 cup in a measuring cup, put it on the plate, and see what it REALLY looks like. Is that the amount you usually eat? Do the math and see what your dinners really stack up to be. On average, dinners usually shouldn't be more than about 400-500 calories, and full of whole grains, veggies and lean proteins. Lighter dinners can be easy. A simple, marinated boneless skinless chicken breast with a side of steamed veggies and a small helping of quinoa can be ready in less than 30 minutes. A light chicken casserole with brown rice can be very comforting and warm and also ready in about 30 minutes. Better yet, check out some slow cooker recipes. Look for things that use lean meats and non-rich sauces.

I'm happy to help vet ideas - or to send you recipes. Just email me! :) fithappy@yahoo.com - and as always, you can always sign up for free to have me as your fitness/health coach: just go www.TurboRomero.com & click join. Select the free option and I can help you with your fitness and diet goals. Or if you want extra information, the paid option has the added benefit of a wonderful, healthy meal planner & the recipes are actually REALLY tasty and filling.

In the meantime, check what you're cooking. Aside from calories, fat, sodium and all the other crazy stuff that's in convenience foods, consider all the preservatives, hormones and other lovely things that they are stuffed with. Heck, even chicken nuggets are typically not real, whole chicken pieces. Sad, but true...and detrimental to losing weight and the overall health of your family...

~To Your Health~

Eat what you want...

2011-09-28T10:43:00.001-04:00

I should clarify. Eat what you want...SOMETIMES ;)

One of the keys to being happy while changing your lifestyle to healthier one is to not deprive yourself. If you feel like you can NEVER have anything yummy like a brownie, cookie, or ice cream, then you'll be down about it. You may even eventually snap and eat every brownie in sight. It's better to be reasonable with yourself, allow yourself to have things you truly enjoy - just keep moderation in mind. For instance, while I was trying to lose 10lbs, I cut out my evening dessert (and made other dietary changes as well!), and then one evening, maybe Friday, I would let myself have dessert. I just made it low-fat ice cream & stuck to ONE serving size. Now that I'm at my goal weight, I have ice cream almost every night, but I'm super good about what I eat all day long. If I eat some stuff I wouldn't normally (think Panera bread breakfast) then I skip ice cream that night. It's all about balance. I can do this because I work out almost every night and I'm very good about what I eat most of the time.

So just remember, you don't have to hate your diet. In fact, I encourage you to find adjustments and options that make you love your new way of eating. It may take some trial and error, but I assure you, it can be done. As always, I'm always happy to share meal planning options, recipes, etc. Just comment here or email me at fithappy@yahoo.com - the meal planner I use is fantastic, you can set the amount of calories you want to stick to every day and opt out of certain foods and the recipes are actually easy and delicious. Even better, you can print a shopping list of ingredients for that week's meals....and of course each meal/day is completely editable. If you want to have your own meal planner, I very much recommend this one, I use it every single week and have always been pleased with the meals - just click "join" and select the paid option to try it! www.TurboRomero.com

~To Your Health~