Maintaining Weight Loss

I hope that you have been enjoying your summer by eating well and staying active! Family reunions and vacations often interrupt our diet and exercise routines--and then along comes the dreaded rut. Staying motivated can be a challenge. Taking breaks from your normal workout routines is okay as long as 2 weeks doesn't lapse into 2 months. You'll start to lose muscle (which will slow your metabolism)and ultimately pack on the pounds. Here's some motivation--a newly published study from the University of Pittsburgh reports the following:

"Women who want to lose weight and keep it off need to exercise for almost an hour, five days a week, according to a new study from the University of Pittsburgh.

Researchers found that a 55-minute regime was the minimum needed to maintain a 10 percent drop in weight." READ MORE.

The article published at http://www.mercola.com goes on to explain the efficiency of interval training which is "a type of exercise that combines short bursts of high-intensity activity with periods of rest". Marathon runners increase their cardiovascular output using a run-walk technique while training.

But, if you're not training for a marathon, then just get up and go for a walk--after all, it is the BEST form of exercise!

Beginner Workouts

Searching for the most effective fitness programs can be overwhelming. The ads for the latest and greatest products are everywhere and all they claim to achieve the fastest results: get 6-pack abs, tight glutes, and lose 30 pounds all in just 10 days! Trying to weed through all the hype is enough to make you want to quit before you get started.

To help you get moving without spending a cent, I have assembled a list of the best go-to exercises to get you fit! Let's get started:

CARDIO

1) Walking- 30 minutes a day, 3-5 days per week
2) Jumping Jacks- Use them as a warm-up or as part of your interval workout (i.e. 25 jumping jacks/10 squats/25 more/10 pushups, etc.)
3) Jogging/Running- 3-5 days per week


UPPER BODY

1) Pushups- Great for working chest, triceps, core, and improving overall strength
2) Pullups- Depending on your grip, you can work shoulders, back, biceps, and triceps.


LOWER BODY

1) Squats- Vary foot placement to work thighs, glutes, hamstrings, hips, and core.
2) Calf Raises- Do these anywhere!


CORE

1) Crunches- Start with 2 sets of 20-25.
2) Planks- Try 3-4 of these on your elbows and hold for 15-30 seconds at a time.
3) Abdominal Vacuums- Try this move sitting or on all fours. Pull in your bellybutton towards your spine and hold for 30-60 seconds for 3 reps.


As always, consult your doctor prior to beginning any diet and exercise program! Now get going!

Detoxification for Health

I wanted to take a moment to recommend some great books to read on cleansing the body. You will find that they emphasize a shift toward more organic food choices, increased water intake, a reduction of processed and fast foods, and weight loss. If you heal the body and treat it well, it will take care of itself.

Here are some of my personal favorites:

1) The Master Cleanser by Stanley Burroughs

2) Detox: Five Dozen Ways to Detoxify Your Body by Nadine Goodman

3) The Colon Health Handbook by Robert Gray

4) The Raw Food Detox Diet by Natalia Rose

5) 21 Pounds in 21 Days: The Martha's Vineyard Diet Detox by Roni DeLuz, RN, ND

6) Juicing for Life by Cherie Calbom and Maureen Keane

In my opinion, all of these books give great information on how the human body works as well as how to undo years of damage while improving overall health. The most comprehensive plan is the Martha's Vineyard Diet Detox. It addresses all major systems and focuses on cleansing and nutrition. You can do her plan for 2 days (over a weekend), 7 days, or the full 21 days and get real results.

The key to any detox program is to maintain a cleaner diet. When you revert to your old ways, your old ailments will return. Make the decision to do something to improve and prolong your life today...