Staying In Control While Grocery Shopping

Grocery shopping can be overwhelming especially when trying to eat healthy when the stores are filled with treats. We already have enough shopping to do without having to stress out about our meal and snack preparations. Grocery shopping can be quick, easy and even enjoyable if you know what to look for.

1. Do not go to the store hungry – Grocery shopping while hungry is a bad combination. Grocery shopping hungry will hinder your decision making as cravings start to kick in and “will power” gets left in the car. If timing doesn’t allow you to shop when it is not meal time, pop some almonds in your mouth and drink some water to lessen the hunger and craving and halt you from ultimately impulse buying.
2. Shop the store parameters. If you shop the outside parameters of the store, you will likely be picking up staples I would recommend such as proteins, fruits, veggies and whole grains.
3. Read ingredients- If you do not know what something means on the label, it is likely very processed and you should consider putting it back. The closer to the natural state a food once was, the better it is for you. Think land, sea, ground and tree. 
4. Buy in bulk – If money and time is an issue for you, bulk purchases can save you money and time. Get to know stores like Sams and get to know the freezer and produce sections there! Stock your freezer with fish, chicken, veggie even frozen berries and then instantly you will have easier access to make meals.
5. Pick an ideal time-  If time is a hurdle for eating healthy, pick a day and time of the week that is slower for you and do your shopping then and then immediately prepare foods and store them in your fridge or freeze them. This way, you will have meals ready to grab and re-heat when it is time to eat.

If you are a shopping list kind of person, keep these basic ingredients in mind:

PROTEINS: Protein powder – ideal to add to smoothies, mix with water and drink in a pinch, Chicken breasts (boneless/skinless), frozen shrimp, frozen or fresh fish, tofu, canned tuna (in water), eggs or egg whites

VEGGIES and FRUITS: Fresh or frozen vegetables, Bok Choy, Fresh or frozen berries, apples, grapefruits, salad mix

STARCHY CARBS: Quinoa, Brown Rice, and oatmeal all can be easily cooked in a rice maker

DAIRY- Low fat cottage cheese, Greek yogurt-* must be eaten within five days of opening.

HEALTHY FATS- Almonds, walnuts, peanut butter, almond butter, coconut oil, olive oil.

ADDITIONAL- Unsweetened almond milk, Shirataki tofu noodles, garlic, ginger, cinnamon. 

Insulin--What Is It and How Does It Affect Your Health and Body Weight?

When people hear the word ‘insulin’ they mostly associate it with diabetes and don’t pay much attention to what it means to their own body. Insulin gets a ‘bad rap’ because of its direct association with diabetes, but insulin plays a BIG role in EVERY body!  Insulin is responsible for determining whether you are storing or burning fat, your energy levels, your mental awareness, athletic performance, and even the possibility of chronic disease!  So understanding how insulin works is very important to your health!

What is insulin anyway?  Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreaswhen you eat carbohydrates.  Have you ever eaten a big pasta meal, and wanted to take a nap a few hours later?  Have you ever started eating chips or crackers and you just couldn’t stop?  If you have experienced one or both of these situations, you have EXPERIENCED what an insulin spike can do to you.  

So what does insulin do? In simple terms, when you eat carbohydrates, they are absorbed into the blood stream (as glucose or sugar) which in turn elevates your blood sugar levels. The pancreas secretes insulin to help your body process the increased blood sugar (glucose) and store it as glycogen in your muscles and liver.  If the glycogen stores in your muscles and liver are full, then the ‘excess’ blood sugar is stored as body fat!  If your body is secreting insulin, it is in a ‘storing’ process, and NO body fat will be burned.

Back to our big pasta meal-- when we ate that meal, we had a large flood of carbohydrates which led to a big spike in insulin secretion.  Since insulin’s job is to ‘lower’ blood sugar, it does just that.  But because of the huge insulin spike, it can lower blood sugar a bit too much, and that is when you feel drowsy, tired, and generally like you need a nap!

Along those same lines, when you nibble on crackers, chips, or other carbohydrate rich ‘snack’ food, you get a steady release of insulin.  This steady release of insulin keeps lowering your blood sugar, which in turn tells YOU to keep eating to get it back up!  Now you know WHY you just couldn’t put those ‘fat free’ crackers, chips, and crisps down!

What does fat have to do with insulin? Carbohydrates are directly tied to your insulin levels, but fats have a role in this as well.  If you are eating healthy fats with your meals, these fats will S-L-O-W the digestion of carbohydrates which will slow the rise in blood sugar which will keep those insulin spikes at bay.

What is a healthy fat? A balance between Omega 3 (from fish oil) and Omega 6 fats (found in vegetable oils such as corn, sesame, safflower, peanut etc…). We naturally get enough, often too much Omega 6 fats in our diet.  To have a proper balance, you have to be conscious of and increase your Omega 3 intake which can be found in fish, wild meats, and grass fed beef. An easy way to get these is from fish oil supplements. If you are eating “bad” fats (trans-fats) or you are not eating the proper balance of omega 3 and omega 6 fats, your cells won’t be able to convert the blood sugar easily, leading to insulin resistance.

What is insulin resistance?Insulin resistance is when your cells are less affected by insulin and your blood sugar (from carbs you have eaten) can’t move freely into your body’s cells to be either burned or stored. As a reaction your pancreas secretes more insulin and you have both high levels of glucose (blood sugar) and insulin circulating in your body with neither of them going to where they are supposedto be. High levels of insulin trigger the production of stress hormone; cortisol along with blood sugar will be turned into body FAT. Insulin resistance negatively effects body fat (especially belly fat) increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, hormone health, including testosterone.Insulin resistance ultimately will turn into Type 2 Diabetes. However, insulin resistance is NOT a constant and can be improved with nutrition and exercise!

What you can do to improve your insulin health:

·     Improve your diet by eating more protein, less starchy-carbohydrate foods, and healthy fats at each meal.  Protein is VERY important because protein secretes a hormone that is basically the opposite of insulin, and its job is to raise blood glucose levels.  The hormone is glucagon, and it raises glucose levels by RELEASING stored energy.  This releasing of energy into the blood stream is how body fat is burned.  If insulin is being secreted, you are storing energy.  If glucagon is secreted, you are releasing energy.  So, if you want to keep insulin at bay, make sure you are consuming protein and healthy fats at every meal.

·         Eat low glycemic carbohydrates such as:

o   Vegetables such as kale, broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, mushrooms, green beans, asparagus, cucumbers, spinach, peppers, zucchini

o   Fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, blackberries, nectarines, avocado, grapefruit, tomatoes

o   Grains such as steel cut oats, whole grain breads

·     Increase physical activity – Make sure you are doing cardio and strength trainingexercises.  On a daily basis, make sure you are lifting weights, doing interval training, speed walking, jogging, running, elliptical, cycling, stair climbing, or whatever gets your heart racing and sweat going!

There you have it – Hopefully you have a better understanding of insulin and the role it plays in your life!  I know things might have gotten a bit complex there, but trust me, it is really easy.  Just make sure you are eating healthy fats and protein with your carbohydrates, and you should FEEL a difference!

If you have any questions, feel free to stop by and see Jessy or contact her at 689-1400.

Too Much Stress?

Stress can be a problem in itself, of course. But stress can sometimes lead to unhealthy lifestyle patterns—which lead to more stress! As you read the following ways in which stress can affect our nutritional choices, ask yourself this: when feeling overwhelmed, have you found yourself doing any of the following?

1- Drinking Too Much Coffee: When burning the candle at both ends, people often find themselves using coffee drinks to jump-start themselves in the morning, and a pattern of all-day coffee drinking often ensues.

2- Eating the Wrong Foods: Due partially to increased levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, stressed people tend to crave foods high in fat, sugar and salt. Think about it: how often have you turned to your good friends Ben & Jerry after a long, stressful day?

3- Skipping Meals: Another thing overly stressed people tend to do is skipping meals. Have you ever found yourself rushing out of the house without a healthy breakfast (picking up a latte doesn’t count!), or realizing you’re starving in the late afternoon because you didn’t eat enough?

4-Mindless Munching: Conversely, stress also makes us prone to emotional eating, when we eat when we aren’t hungry, or eat foods that are bad for us. Have you found yourself mindless snacking on junk food, or eating when you aren’t hungry, because of stress?

5-Forgetting Water: With busy lives, it’s easy to forget to drink your water. In fact, a good portion of Americans drink little actual water, and get water intake only from soda or coffee. Do you get a full eight glasses per day, or even four?

6- Fast Food: People these days eat at home less than in generations past, as it’s easier to just drive through a fast food place or go to a restaurant than to go home and cook something. Unfortunately, this gets expensive, and is often unhealthy.

7-Crash Diets: Because of weight gain from stress, some people intentionally eat less food than they need, or try dangerous fad diets in order to lose the excess weight. Diets that aren’t balanced with fruits and vegetables, protein and healthy carbohydrates can often be bad for your health in the long run, even if they look attractive short term.

Don’t Waste Your Money on Naked Marketing Schemes

I have had couple of clients and colleagues asking me what my thoughts were regarding Naked Juice. I decided to take the liberty in gathering as much information as I can do before labeling it as a healthy drink or not. This was a project I took the liberty of doing on my own. My interest stemmed out of my personal experience with Naked Pomegranate Acai 15.2oz.  As I was sipping the drink and checking the label on the bottle, I was impressed with the picture showing how many fruits they used to fill the bottle I held in my hand:

1 2/3 Pomegranates

 95 Açaí Berries

 1 1/3 Apples

 1/2 Banana

 

14 Red Grapes

  

14 White Grapes

As what a good nutritionist would do, I looked at the nutrition label curious to see how much fiber, vitamins, sugar, and calories a bottle contained. I was under the impression that this liquid was jam packed with vitamins and minerals:

 

Nutrition Label Pomegranate Acai Naked

-One Serving size: 8oz

-Servings per container: 2

 One 15.2 oz. bottle contains:

-4 Servings of fruit

-320 calories

-62g sugar (AKA 5 tablespoons of sugar)

-0% Vit C

-2% Vit A

-0% Fiber

  

I was fooled by the pictures on the nutrition label, color of the juice, and even the flavor! This bottle was nothing more than a pretty package with what might as well be kool-aid mixed with 5 table spoons of sugar and water.

This nutrition label disappointed me enough to analyze each Naked Juice sold at a local grocery store for approximately $3.67 each:

What I found was that all of their drinks do not have any dietary fiber, some had very poor levels of vitamins and minerals, and others had a much better amount of nutrients. If I am buying something that cost almost $4.00 I expect to pay for the actual benefits from the fruit used to make the juice.

For Pomegranate Acai and all the flavors you will shortly see under the “Do Not Buy list”, the vitamins were eliminated during pasteurization, (the juice is heated to destroy harmful bacteria, vitamins are destroyed at high heat, and Naked never bothered to put synthetic vitamins back into the drink afterwards.)

The good news is that some of their products are not impostors and do provide you with a nutritious beverage. They all cost the same so you can make a better choice of selection from the varieties they offer after reading this.

The bad news is that all of the beverages had 0% Fiber. That means you will not have the benefit of feeling full longer like you would with the actual fruit in the raw, or have any of the benefit of the soluble fiber.

The following is a very condensed version of the Good versus the Bad:

DO NOT BUY 

The following are very poor in Vitamin A and C and other nutrients:

BUY these:

The following juices have been fortified with Vitamins and added Boosters:

Suggestion:

• Do not treat them as meal replacers
• Eat raw fruit and veggies instead to benefit from all the vitamins and fiber needed
• These should be treated as last choice for people who absolutely cannot eat raw fruits or veggies

Last Thought:

Be a responsible consumer and demand the qualities of products sold are what you want. We vote with our money to dictate what stays and what goes out of business. Hopefully this was helpful and you can apply it to your future purchase. Remember to be a smart shopperand always analyze what it is you are buying because you may get the same quality product for a fraction of the cost.

Overcoming Overeating

Why do we eat? We all know why we should be eating: to supply our bodies with plenty of energy to get through the day; to get nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals which help us to stay healthy and free of disease; and to get useful carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—all of which contribute to running our bodies properly and maintaining good health.

In our food-obsessed culture with out-of-control portions always lurking within our grasps, how can we not overeat? It’s hard to break habits and go against the lessons we have always been taught, like cleaning our plates, not being wasteful, or getting the best deal—which usually means ordering up and getting a lot more food for the money.

There are many ways to stop overeating. From the following list, find a few that work best for you, and try several. 

Skills for Any Setting

Whether you’re cooking your own meals, eating at work, or snacking at a football game, here are the strategies you can take anywhere

• Know your portion sizes. Make your own "portion pack" to take with you or keep the following common items in mind when preparing and eating meals.

o   A golf ball is the size of a serving of nuts (including peanut butter) or cheese.

o   A deck of playing cards is equivalent to 3 ounces of any meat.

o   Use a die to estimate a proper serving of oils and fats.

o   For fruit and veggie servings, use a tennis ball.

o   One serving of cooked grains or potatoes is about the size of a computer mouse.

• Divide your plate. When cooking at home, looking at pictures on menus, or shopping ala carte at the work cafeteria, your plate should look like this:

o   Half (or more) of the plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables.

o   Protein-rich foods (meat or legumes) and starches (grains, potatoes, bread) should take up one quarter of the plate each.

o   Fill your "divided plate" only once. If you’re still hungry, have another half-plate of vegetables. It’s that simple.

• Surround yourself with positive people who motivate you to reach your goals, not those who want to sabotage your efforts. When you feel tempted, emotional, or if you have already gotten off-track, turn to your support group. Call a friend, email a family member, or even get online. Sometimes all you need is a short word of advice from a friendly voice.

Tips at Home

Cooking at home may be the easiest way to control your portions during a meal, but it also presents us with fully-stocked cupboards and refrigerators that can be tempting:

• Bring home healthy fast food. Try pre-cut, frozen, or microwave-in-the-bag vegetables. Automatic portion control.
• Stop the Taste-Testing Habit. If you’re the cook in the family, you may be eating a lot of calories when you taste your foods as you cook. To stop this natural habit, try chewing gum while you prepare you meals. Each time you are tempted to sneak a bite, you’ll have to take the gum out of your mouth. This will make you more conscious of what you’re doing.
• Make fruit your dessert. It’s a great way to get more produce into your diet, and it satisfies the sweet craving many people have after a meal. Experiment with new and exotic fruits. And, when it comes to fruit, eating a little extra isn’t a bad thing.
• Keep your hands busy. Many people want to eat when bored or just out of habit while watching TV. Keep your hands occupied with something else, and you won’t want to eat. Try knitting, painting your nails, shuffling cards, petting your cat—anything that keeps your hands moving will do the trick. Or, keep your whole body busy by doing crunches, squats, lunges or other body exercises while you watch.
• Make a rule that works for you and your family. No eating in front of the TV, in the car, or at your desk. This will help you avoid mindless eating when you’re not hungry.

Tricks for Dining Out

It’s difficult to control your portions—not to mention ingredients and cooking method—when you are at a restaurant. Despite this, there are several things you can control:

• Inquire about portion sizes. If it sounds huge, and it probably is, ask the server to split your entrée in half. Tell them to box up half ahead of time (and maybe even keep it in the kitchen until you’re ready to leave). Or, split the dish with a friend.
• Order ala carte. When you feel like you can’t win on size, or if even half of an entrée is still way too big, order side items. Most restaurants do offer staples like baked potatoes, steamed fresh veggies, and rice dishes. Or, even if it’s dinnertime, ask for the lunch portion. You may have to pay the dinner price, but you’ll save yourself from eating way too much, and you’ll be much happier about that.
• Decide ahead of time what you’ll order. That way, you won’t be tempted by the less-healthy fare when you look at the menu. If you’re familiar with the menu, don’t even look at it—simply order what you already had in mind.
• Don’t be afraid to make substitutions in ingredients and cooking methods. Many people don’t like to be picky at restaurants, but think of it this way. They’re there to meet your needs and serve you. If they don’t have something you want, ask! Vegetarians and vegans know this scenario all-too-well, because they have to modify almost every dish on the menu to be able to eat it. Waiters and waitresses will want to comply and help out (because it means tips for them), and chefs can easily make modifications. 
• Add something new. Ask for extra veggies in your salad, or to add vegetables to a dish (like pizza or pasta) that doesn’t normally contain them.
• Substitute. Get the plain baked potato instead of the mammoth french fries; Ask for grilled chicken on your salad instead of breaded. 
• Tell your server you don’t want the free bread, chips, etc. when you first arrive. Or, if you do eat it, let them know that you don’t need another round.
• Don’t pick at the food left on your plate. Put your utensils on your plate so the handles get dirty. You won’t want to pick them up again, and you won’t mindlessly eat more while chatting over dinner. Or, try laying your napkin over top of the remaining food. Out of sight, out of mind.

The Benefits of Fruits in Your Diet

For much of human history, fruitshave been a favorite food, and with good reasons: they’re tasty, easy to digest, a good source of quick energy and packed with vitamins and minerals. It is very important to include all the seasonal fruits in the diet to gain maximum nutritional benefits, as no one particular fruit can provide all the necessary nutrients. A healthy diet should contain at least 3-4 servings of fruits per day including variety which is key.

The Benefits of Fruits in Your Diet

• Excellent sources of vitamin C, beta carotene and potassium
• High in fiber and low in calories
• A source of natural sugars that provide quick energy
• Contain various polyphenols which may protect against cancer and other diseases.

The Nutritional Value of Fruits

Fruits are antioxidants. Numerous studies demonstrate that people who eat ample of amounts of fruits, 5-10 servings a day, enjoy a reduced incidence of cancer, heart attacks and strokes.

Citrus fruits are among the richest sources of vitamin C. Nutritionists recommend at least one daily serving of an orange, grapefruit, tangerines or other citrus fruits.

Brightly colored fruits, such as apricots, cantaloupes and mangoes, are high in beta-carotene. Other carotene pigments such as lycopene are found in red fruits.

Many fruits are high in potassium, an electrolyte that is essential to maintaining a proper balance of body fluids. People taking diuretic drugs, which increase the excretion of potassium in urine, are advised to eat extra servings of bananas, melons, apricots and dried fruits.

Most fruits are low in calories and high in fiber, a fact that enhances their appeal to people who are weigh conscious. Apple, pears and many other fruits contain pectin, a soluble fiber that helps regulate blood cholesterol levels. Berries, citrus and dried fruits are especially high in both soluble and insoluble fiber.

Five Ways to Eat More Fruits

1. Top your cereal with sliced bananas, kiwifruits, fresh berries. Try something new like dried cranberries or sliced mango.
2. Fill a cantaloupe or other melon with low-fat cottage cheese.
3. Add 1 cup fresh or frozen berries to pancake batter. Top pancake with apple sauce or rhubarb compote instead of syrup.
4. Don’t throw out overripe bananas. Peel and freeze them and use them later for banana bread or muffins.
5. Add fruit such as apples, pears, and mandarin orange sections to green salads.

Feel free to contact Jessy at 309-689-1400 for more information on how to incorporate fruits in your diet.

Get The Skinny on Snacking

With our endlessly hectic lifestyles, healthy snacking seems to fly out of the window and when you do stop to eat, the temptation to go the quick and easy route is strong and go for a bag of crisps or chocolate becomes incredibly tempting.

To ensure that you have the right snacks at hand it’s best to prepare them in advance – that way you can avoid being tempted by the high fat snacks.  Having the right snacks to hand will ensure your energy levels remain consistent and that you have the fuel you need to keep you going throughout the course of the day – vital if you have a tough meeting!

Myth: 'Snacking caused weight gain.' 

Fact:  If choosing the wrong snack foods and eating more calories than needed, weigh gain can be the result.

What are the right type of snacks ?

Here are some great and healthy snack option to keep in mind:

Fruits : high in fiber, water and low in calories and sugar.

Nuts : consumed in reasonable portions, they provide protein and fiber that can help suppressing your appetite.

Low Sodium Soup

Vegetables: unlimited amount of course.

Cheese and yogurt: low in carbohydrate and rich in protein.

Edamame: rich in fiber and protein.

Choose one or two of the below list for snack per day:

1 cup fresh berries or melon cubes

1/2 grapefruit

1 whole apple, nectarine, or plum

6 to 12 almonds or cashews, 10 to 20 small peanuts, or 4 to 8 walnuts halves

4 ounces 1% cottage cheese

8 ounces low-fat artificially sweetened yogurt, preferably Greek Yogurt

1/2 cup fat free, sugar free pudding

2/3 cup edamame or raw vegetables

2 wedges Laughing Cow Light Cheese on two celery sticks

1 cup of carrot or celery sticks with 2 tablespoons hummus

1 slices of apple with 2 teaspoons peanut butter

1 pear and 5 whole cashews

1 ounce part-skim mozzarella cheese and 4 Triscuits

1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese with cinnamon and 4 walnut halves

1 ounce reduced-fat cheddar cheese with 1 cup fresh berries

1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese topped with 1 sliced kiwi and cinnamon

8 ounces artificially sweerened yogurt and 1 1/2 tablespoons trail mix

12 ounces non fat cafe latte sprinkled with cinnamon and 6 almonds on the side

1 Wasa cracker with 1 cup canned ready-to-serve soup

1 cup salad greens with 1/4 cup each chickpeas and kidney beans with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette.

Remember you can indulge sometimes –we, at Peoria Club Fitness, say make the indulgence the exception rather than the rule and then you’ll be able to have your ‘sweets’ and eat it too. 

101 Healthy Things to Start the New Year

1.      Drink more water

2.      Clean out your fridge get rid of the unneeded junk

3.      Clean out your pantry and get rid of the junk

4.      Stock your fridge/freezer with lean proteins, veggies, fruits and nuts

5.      Shop the outside aisles of the grocery store only

6.      Carry all of your groceries in a basket instead of pushing a cart

7.      Use the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator

8.      Park further away from your destination

9.      Workout at least 3 times a week

10.  Plan out your meals for the week

11.  Stock your grocery cart with only items that come from an animal, plant, sea or ground

12.  Write out your goals

13.  Make a vision board of how you would like to see yourself!

14.  Drink a cup of green tea twice a week

15.  Break a sweat

16.  Meditate

17.  Try yoga

18.  Stretch 3 times a week

19.  Play with your pet

20.  Play with your kids

21.  Walk to the store

22.  Add more protein to your diet

23.  Eat a lot of vegetables

24.  Try a new fruit

25.  Leave off the sauce

26.  Skip the bread basket

27.  Cook a meal from scratch

28.  Don’t eat any processed foods today

29.  Don’t eat any refined sugar today

30.  Eat a mini meal of natural foods every 3 hours

31.  Don’t stuff yourself

32.  Tell someone you love them

33.  Divorce a negative friend

34.  Quit an unhappy job

35.  Look for a new career

36.  Read motivational stories

37.  Apologize

38.  Read a book

39.  Finish what you started

40.  Be optimistic

41.  Drop the excuses

42.  Find a solution

43.  Be accountable

44.  Make your own luck!

45.  Take a brisk walk

46.  Talk to an inspirational friend

47.  Go to bed earlier and aim for 7-8 hours of sleep

48.  Don’t watch TV

49.  Try some vegetable juice

50.  Cook with coconut oil

51.  Drink some coconut water

52.  Try a vegan dish

53.  Try a new kind of nut

54.  Eat some seeds

55.  Don’t eat anything that has ingredients you can’t define

56.  Volunteer

57.  Donate some time

58.  Donate some money

59.  Hire a trainer

60.  Hire a nutritionist

61.  Try a new workout class

62.  Join a boot camp

63.  Try a new sport

64.  Play tag with your kids (or borrow your friends kids!)

65.  Play fetch with your dog (or borrow a neighbors!)

66.  Walk up a hill

67.  Join a walking, jogging, running or hiking group

68.  Go for a hike

69.  Do 10 jumping jacks

70.  Do 10 push ups

71.  Do 10 situps

72.  Do them again!

73.  Lunge around your house

74.  Hop around your house

75.  Shovel your drive way if there is snow

76.  Rake your lawn if there are leaves!

77.  Mow your own lawn

78.  Take off your shoes before going in your house

79.  Wash your face before you go to bed

80.  Plant your own herbs

81.  Try some new spices

82.  Add sea salt to a new dish

83.  Try a new recipe

84.  Walk to run your errands

85.  Predict your own future by creating it!

86.  Meet a friend for a workout instead of happy hour

87.  Walk on your lunch break

88.  Dust off your blender

89.  Buy a blender if you don’t have one!

90.  Buy a juicer

91.  Watch the documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly dead

92.  Watch the documentary Forks over Knives

93.  Watch a funny movie

94.  Laugh

95.  Clean out your closet

96.  Donate clothes that are too big and swear you will never go back to that size!

97.  Skip the butter

98.  Skip the high heels today

99.  Put your gym bag in the car

100. Put motivating music on your music player to pump up your workouts!

101. Read some motivating fitness blogs…

It takes just 7 days for a something to become a habit!

Contact me, Jessy Hamawi, anytime for a more specific help jump starting your weight loss and health look