Healthy fall recipes are vast and varied. The season brings with it a bounty of fresh and delicious fruits and vegetables. From apples and pears to broccoli and sweet potatoes fall is the season filled with the foods that have essential vitamins. Potassium, calcium, vitamins C and K, and fiber are abundant in fall foods. Food magazines and websites offer endless healthy fall recipes that you can follow with ease even throwing in a few of your own variations. The first thing to consider are your basic fall ingredients like the produce mentioned above.

To get started on your healthy fall recipes you’ll need a good selection of fall foods. Go to your local grocery store and pick up some apples, pears, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, squash, cauliflower and anything else that suits your healthy fall recipe needs. Then, simply cook these foods as you like as long as it’s healthy preparation you can’t go wrong with fall foods. Baked apples and pears are a delicious source of fiber. Use a regular cake baking pan, lightly coat the pan and the fruit with a healthy cooking spray, and bake at four hundred degrees for about an hour. Remove the pan from the oven every fifteen minutes and use a spoon or ladle to drizzle the fruits natural juices that are bubbling in the pan over the top of the fruit and the skin of the fruit to keep them moist. When the skin of the fruit looks roasted they’re done. Take them from the oven and serve them warm with a small scoop of low-fat frozen yogurt or ice cream. A perfectly healthy fall recipe for a cold autumn night.

Healthy fall recipes are best when they focus on steamed or baked foods with the skins left on. Sweet potatoes are a an excellent source of vitamins A, C and B6. Sweet potatoes are also an excellent source of potassium, dietary fiber and iron. When cooking sweet potatoes for maximum vitamin retention it’s best to cut them in quarter inch slices and bake or steam them for seven to nine minutes. They can be garnished with a dash of cinnamon, clove, all-spice, and a small amount of butter.

Healthy fall recipes for foods such as broccoli and cauliflower can be tasty without adding the ever popular cheese component. Steaming these high fiber veggies and adding spices and olive oil to them after they cook can kick the flavor up a notch and still deliver the essential vitamins in these foods. Take the veggies after they’ve cooled off enough for safe and easy handling, place them in a bowl, drizzle a few teaspoons of olive oil over them. Then, add a half teaspoon of fresh minced garlic, a half teaspoon of dried basil, and a half teaspoon of Mrs. Dash. Mix well with a serving spoon. This will give the veggies a great flavor without adding any extra calories or salt. Healthy fall recipes are tasty because of vitamin rich foods.

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Sometimes, I feel it’s necessary to “get back to basics” when talking about weight loss. There are so many get-skinny-quick gimmicks out there these days, and while some of them actually DO work, most of them do not. While navigating the sometimes bumpy seas of weight loss information, it’s very important to always remember the basics!

Each and every person has a different type of body structure. You have to do the exercise that fits you best, and ones that you are comfortable with. The best way to burn fat for losing weight is by doing cardiovascular exercises. Some good cardiovascular exercises are walking, running, swimming, bicycling, aerobics playing tennis, basketball, etc. The list goes on – but you get the point. You also need to eat lower calorie foods in addition to cardiovascular exercises. You have to make your workouts a regular habit so that it will be effective. You can first do walking for 15 or so minutes to warm up, and then continue your regular exercises such as jogging or swimming. Some common ways to integrate exercise into your daily schedule may include:

• Walk to the nearby places without using your car.
• Use stairs instead of elevators/escalators.
• Use your bike instead of your car on the weekends when you have more time.
• Instead of siting at your desk on that hour-long conference call, walk while talking on your cell.
• Cleaning your house, your car, your bike, or pretty much any other thing includes serious cardio when done right!

These habits make you regularly do some extra exercise in addition to that of your morning exercises. This will be very helpful to lose weight!  You’d be surprised how quickly the calories you burn add up throughout the day! Morning exercises also keep you brisk and energetic all day long.

The basic foods you have to avoid to burn fat and lose weight are:

• Avoid carbohydrate rich foods, especially later in the day
• Avoid junk foods (chips, etc.)
• Avoid oily and spicy foods
• Avoid drinking soft drinks
• Avoid salt whenever possible
• Avoid drinking more than 2 cups of tea or coffee per day

The foods you should eat more of include:

• Eat more fruits and vegetables
• Drink plenty of water
• Eat fiber rich foods
• Drink fresh fruit juices.
• Eat a small meal every 2 – 3 hours.

Do exercises regularly for at least 5 days out of the week, and try to eat healthy the entire week.  “Cheat days” are a common phrase that I hear, but unless you can avoid it I do not recommend a “cheat day” on any given schedule.  By al means, if a special event (birthday party, etc.) comes up then it’s ok to have a cheat day – just don’t make “every Saturday is my cheat day”.

By getting back to these basics, as well as incorporating other information found on this site and other health & fitness sites, you should be able to get that weight off and keep it off!

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If you are a woman interested in becoming physically fit and toned, you may be wondering what the best butt exercises are to get that tushy looking great.

Many women, when trying to become physically fit often are more interested in honing in developing the lower areas of their bodies. This is opposed to men who usually want strong upper body. The area of interest for most women, are the legs and the gluteus maximus area. In this article, I will go over four of the best butt exercises to give you that toned and sculpted look you are looking for (or what your partner is looking for!). The following ere are the four best butt exercises you can do, in my opinion:

1. Squats

Widely hailed as the King of exercises, squats are the single most beneficial exercise you can do for your body - bar none. They are a total body workout, although their main focus are the hamstrings, quadriceps, and gluteus maximus. Without a doubt, this is one of the best butt exercises to do, if not the best one period. Focus on lighter weight and high reps in order to achieve the toned and sculpted look you are going for.

#2. Lunges

The lunge is a great strengthening and toning exercise that you can do for your butt. In order to perform a lunge correctly, you simply bend one knee forward so touches the ground and then alternate knees. You can do this while holding dumbbells, in order to get more of a workout. You will feel the burn after this exercise – that is for sure, so make sure to work up to it - especially if you are brand new to this particular exercise. Without a doubt, this is one of the best butt exercises.

#3. Leg press

If you are a member of a gym, performing the leg press can be a great way for a firm and toned butt. What you’ll do is simply load the machine with weight - remember, not too heavy at first unless you want to have extremely muscular legs - and then you simply perform high reps with low weight. What this will do is tone your butt. It will burn at first, especially if you are new to this exercise, but eventually you’ll notice your butt taking an amazing shape!

#4. Romanian dead lift

And last but not least, bringing up the “rear” (pun intended) is the stiff legged, or Romanian dead lift. This is a great exercise not only for toning the butt, but for achieving an all-around body strength as well as cardiovascular endurance. To perform this exercise, you will need to put weights under the balls of your feet, so that your heels are lower than the balls of your feet, this will allow the exercise to target the glutes. After that you simply lift the weight up your chest in a slow and controlled manner. Your Reps will vary and you should increase them over time. This will help your butt take that amazing toned shape that you’re looking for!

Getting fit and in shape is not as hard as it seems, it simply takes some perseverance, dedication and the ability to keep going.  I hope these pointers on the best butt exercises help you get moving in the right direction!

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I travel a good deal and get many questions as far as what do I take? How do I pack my food? Do I have any clean food travel tips?  So here are some helpful tips on how to make packing and traveling with your food a little easier!

I am not sure how it is now, as I don’t even attempt it, but I do not travel with ice packs in my food cooler for a few different reasons. One being that some airlines wouldn’t allow me as they are considered liquid, so I would have to get rid of them before I went through security.  Another reason is you can use alternatives that can suit a double purpose rather than using the ice packs and taking up space.

Here area few suggestions in place of ice packs:

If you take a carton of your egg whites and freeze them, this can act as the ice pack and then when you get to your destination you can thaw it out. Then you have what you need for your egg whites in the morning.

Another suggestion to go along with the frozen egg whites are a few tips on how to prep your egg whites once you have reached your destination.  I would suggest packing a plastic ice tray for your egg whites in our suitcase.  You can divide the egg whites into the ice tray, season them (bring Mrs Dash with you, pepper, or whatever you choose) by sprinkling atop the liquid in the tray squares and then put the tray in the microwave and cook them.   You will then have your egg whites in the right proportions and you can then pack them up with you for the day in a Ziploc baggie.   This is especially helpful to do if you have a shoot that day or an event to attend.

Another alternative to ice packs, is to use your frozen veggies that you would need for the time you are gone.  For example, bags of asparagus, green beans, or broccoli.  You can either use the steam veggie bags or even the regular veggie bags, and microwave them as you would anyway.  This way you are saving space without the added ice packs and then have your required greens for the time you’re gone!!

Another option to the ice packs is when planing out your meals, pack and divide them into freezer bags by meal day and number  rather than by food (if that’s what you have done in the past).  I then label them i.e. Fri M1, Fri M2, Sat M1, etc )  The day before your trip freeze your meals, take the labeled Ziploc baggies and freeze them the night before you are leaving.   You then take them out the morning that you are leaving, put them in your cooler and by the time you get to your destination if they aren’t already thawed out (which they probably won’t be completely) microwave them and you have all you required meals with no extra baggage

A few other tips for traveling (not necessarily food tips) is when bringing peanut butter always pack it in your suitcase. You are not allowed peanut butter through security (don’t ask lol).

I always try to make sure that my room is equipped with a refrigerator and microwave..it’s really a necessity if you want to travel with all your own food and clean food at that! A suggestion that I do have if there is not a microwave in the room is to use the burner on the coffee maker to heat up your food.  I know it sounds a little odd, but sometimes you have to use what you can to make things work! And it will work :=)

I hope that some of these tips have helped!! I will be dedicating another article more to recipes or clean food ideas that you can travel with as well!!

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Sometimes you just don’t feel like being cooped up in the gym. There is something about being outside in the fresh air, that seems to make exercising much more desirable.  By skipping the gym, that does not allow you to miss your workouts. We still need to stay active and burn those unwanted calories. Here are some effective and fun workouts that you can do, all while burning at least 100 calories.

Take your dog to the dog park. Walking your canine at a relaxed pace burns 30 calories in 10 minutes. When you get to the park, allow your dog to run free, so they can burn off their unwanted calories. Use the leash to do some jump roping.  In just four minutes of jumping rope, you shed 40 calories. Time to walk back home and  to erase another 30 calories. 100 calories gone, and you probably didn’t even know it.

Go fly a kite….literally. Head to the beach with a kite and wait for that big gust of wind. In 12 minutes of doing something so enjoyable as flying a kite, you will burn 100 calories. How nice is that? You are relaxed, outside, and burning lots of calories.

Who can make the biggest splash?? Have a diving contest. In only 30 minutes of diving off the diving board or splashing everyone with your best cannonball, you will burn 95 calories. After you have used up all your energy (from laughing and acting like a big kid), head over to the whirlpool to relax for 5 minutes and burn another 5 calories.

Love to host dinner parties? Who would have known the calories you burn by making a night to remember. Between the table setting and all the chopping to prepare, you will burn 100 calories in just 38 minutes.  That is no time when you are getting ready for company to come.

I would have never thought that doing so many things we enjoy would burn so many calories. Just think of the positives the next time you have to vacuum your house. You are burning calories and getting your chores done.  So stay fit and enjoy your gym free workouts!

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If you are looking to improve your current diet for better health, do so slowly as most people will not achieve success when making sudden, radical changes in their diet.  Often, people will give up out of frustration when their entire diet has been changed overnight.  Plus, it takes time to develop good dietary habits and it’s not necessary to do it all at once.  There are a variety of dietary considerations in leading a healthy lifestyle.  The following factors need to be taken into consideration as they may help achieve optimum health:

Protein:  Increase protein from whole-wheat grains, vegetables, poultry, and fish.

Fat and Cholesterol:  Decrease saturated fats – most of which are in whole milk, most cheeses, and red meat.  Excessive dietary saturated fat is the worst food habit and the major cause of heart attacks and strokes.  Compensate by slightly increasing good fats such as olive oil, whole almonds, lean meats such as fish, and switch to non-fat milk.

Alcohol:  Drink in moderation only.  Wine is good for you if you have a glass or two a couple of times per week.  Never binge drink.

Fiber:  Increase fiber intake and place greater emphasis on fresh vegetables and whole-wheat grains.

Salt:  Avoid added salt on foods. Decrease as much as possible to about 4 grams per day.  Too much sodium in the system retains fluid in the body which increases blood pressure.

Caffeine:  limit to less than 300 milligrams per day – about 3 cups of coffee or less.

Calcium:  women need about 1500 milligrams per day.  Take vitamins or even Tums which can help you to acquire this daily recommended dosage.

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There are many keys to a healthy lifestyle – most importantly are exercise, diet, smoking cessation, alcohol moderation, and weight control.

Exercise is the main ingredient for optimal health.  It strengthens the bones and makes the heart and lungs work better, essentially increasing vitality.  The most important type of exercise is aerobic activity for a variety of reasons. It is important for all ages and it’s never too late to begin!  This type of training builds good muscles, improves reflexes and balance,  burns fat, aids the bowels, and makes the bones stronger.

A variety of dietary considerations is important to your overall health and well being.  Most people fail when making drastic changes in their diet and those who yo-yo diet.  When making changes to your present diet, this should be done slowly and with careful consideration.  Good dietary habits are developed over time, not overnight!  Excessive dietary saturated fat is the worst thing for the body and the major cause of heart attacks and strokes.  It is important to cut down on the largest sources of bad saturated fats in your diet and compensate by increasing the good fats in moderation.  Some of the worst foods that are high in cholesterol are butter, whole milk, cheeses, eggs and animal fats.  Cut down on these in your diet and choose alternative foods such as margarine instead of butter or non-fat as opposed to whole milk.  You can also avoid eating red meat two days in a row.   Try increasing protein in your diet by choosing healthier meat such as fish or chicken.  Although there is still some cholesterol, they have less fat. Salmon is one of the most healthiest types of food you can eat.

Another thing to consider is salt intake.  Too much sodium in the system tends to retain fluid in the body which, in turn, increases blood pressure.  It is important to cut back on sodium and increase intake in other areas such as fiber and calcium.  Fiber is found in unrefined grains, cereals, and vegetables…also in some fruits.  What is most important to remember about fiber is that is binds cholesterol and helps eliminate it from the body.  Calcium is particularly important for senior women.  Calcium supplements are often needed since women over age 50 should have at least 1500 milligrams of calcium a day.

As for smoking, stop!  No need to elaborate here as there is not one good attribute that comes from smoking.  Bottom line…it will kill you!  The same goes for alcohol if not consumed in moderation.  Having a glass or two of red wine here and there is actually good for your health!  Just remember….the key is MODERATION!  Excessive drinking leads to depression and can have negative effects on your entire life.

Last, but not least, is weight control.  Obesity is a serious problem in the United States and needs to be addressed more heavily in schools and in the home environment as more and more children and teens are being diagnosed as obese.  Excessive body weight brings on a world of health problems.  It stresses the heart, the muscles, and the bones.  Fat people are hospitalized more frequently as a result.  Weight control is a difficult task as it requires continued attention and for most people, the problem and the solution are both personal, not medical.  Once weight reduction has been achieved, weight maintenance becomes the next goal, therefore making it a life-long challenge.

Thus, when considering diet and nutrition and how it fits into your lifestyle, the above five factors are great topics to consider.  It is vital to your health that they are incorporated into your daily regime.

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Shape.com came out with a phenomenal list of 25 GREAT fat burning workouts for the summer. If you are anywhere near the sun this summer, try some of these great “exercises” to look and feel great, while you are having fun at the same time!

• Beach Volleyball – You’ll get “sand legs” and a full-body workout that will keep you looking (and feeling) hot in your bikini all summer. “The sand targets muscles you didn’t think you had. You’re working twice as hard to move,” says Jess Gysin, professional beach volleyball player. The short burst of energy and lateral jumps and moves “target every single muscle,” Gysin says. “It is definitely a full-body workout.”
• Stand Up Paddle Surfing – Take up the newest trend in water sports and prepare to see full-body results. ACA Nationally Recognized Professional SUP Instructor and co-founder of Black Dog Paddle Camille Smith watched her body transform as she became enticed by the sport. In stand up paddle surfing, abs aren’t just “pretty muscles,” they’re “function muscles,” Smith says. Besides a solid core, you’ll improve your balance, coordination, strength, and endurance. “You get hooked on it!”
• Kayaking – Kayaking may look like just an upper-body workout, but when done right it can work your entire body. Make sure your kayak is equipped with a foot brace for optimal results. “When athletes paddle in Olympic games, they pull and push with different feet on every stroke for maximum rotation,” says Olympic kayaker Cathy Marino. The rotation really works your abs for a great core workout. Say hello to washboard abs and goodbye to love handles!
• Trampolining – When you bounce consistently, this high-cardio workout is comparable to “running very fast,” says Casey Moore, 1999 national champion on trampoline and level one instructor at the Trapeze School of New York. Find a gym near you with a trampoline or bring the gym to you and invest in a backyard version. Your quads (and kids) will love you for it.
• Wakeboarding – Skip the weight room and get lean on the water wakeboarding. “When you wakeboard you have to flex, resist and hold positions for periods at a time. Often you also have to build on these held positions and then explode or move from these static flexed positions to execute tricks and techniques,” says Kyle Schmidt, head coach at The Wakeboard Camp in Clermont, Florida. “Each session on the water is a short intense work out that can really lean a person out in a short period of time if they ride frequently,” says Schmidt. Workout in the waves for a fun and effective workout.
• Hooping – Hoop your way to a slim, bikini body with this cardiovascular workout. “In addition to strengthening your core muscles, you’re also promoting good posture,” says Rebecca Burton, hula hoop dance instructor at Dance New Amsterdam in New York. Hooping has mental benefits too. “It’s a stress reliever and can be meditative in the way it rolls across the belly,” Burton says. For a more intense hooping workout, try hoop dance. “I burn about 400 calories per hour if I’m rigorously into my hoop dance,” Burton says.
• Tubing – This lake favorite is perfect for people of all ages. “Not only is water tubing fun, it’s a great way to engage your core muscles (for balance) and burn some calories. Plus, the more laughter involved, the better the abdominal benefit,” says fitness expert and Shape Sexy Summer Legs Challenge coach Jessica Smith.
• Tennis – Who says you can’t get fit in a skirt? “The total distance covered on court during a typical tennis game can be up to 5 miles, with over 500 bursts of quick energy movement!” says Brian Hainline, Chief Medical Officer for the United States Tennis Association. Plus, in addition to improving your strength and endurance, tennis players “have a reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease compared to individuals who played golf, football, baseball or basketball,” Hainline says.
• Backpacking – One of the best things about backpacking is that you can do it anywhere. Hit a shaded trail in the summer to stay cool or find an area rich with fresh streams or nearby water. Remember to bring enough water and a snack, but be careful to not overdo your load. “You have to be careful with backpacking and make sure you are maintaining great posture when you add extra weight to your back,” Smith says.
• Quidditch – Let your imagination and legs run wild with this trendy Harry Potter-inspired game. Quidditch is played competitively at more than 300 colleges worldwide and in recreational leagues across the nation. You don’t have to be an experienced athlete for this new sport. “My team had varying fitness levels and some people who had never played a sport,” says Jared Rohrer, a personal trainer and quidditch player in New York City. “Some could barely run 50 feet without running out of breath. Now they can run a whole mile,” he says.
• Octopush – This underwater version of hockey is played wearing a diving mask, snorkel, and fins. The six-on-six match’s objective is similar to regular hockey—score in the opponent’s goal. You’ll get a toned swimmer’s bod and burn calories with the fast-paced movements in octopush . Add competition to any backyard pool party with this unique sport or search for local leagues if you’re looking for more serious play.
• Surfing – Ever wonder why surfer’s seem to have the best bods? Now is the time to find out. Work your arms and core in the water with this summer workout that will keep you cool and fit. You’ll burn nearly 208 calories an hour as you balance your way to flat abs. Book a lesson on your next summer vacation or invest in a board if you’re near the beach!
• Red Rover and Tag – Work like an adult and work out like a kid. “We forget that exercise doesn’t have to happen on a treadmill. Anytime you are running, walking fast, or even standing, you are working your entire body and burning calories,” Smith says. “Playing kids’ games is a great way for adults to reconnect to the fun side of fitness—and to remember how much activity they used to do automatically as kids. Most children don’t need a gym because they are naturally so active. Follow their lead!”
• Kronum – Kronum is a new team sport created in 2008 that mixes soccer, handball, basketball, rugby, and other sports. You’ll get the cardio workout of a soccer game and work your arms with all the dribbling and throwing used to move the ball towards an opponent’s goal. While Philadelphia is Kronum capital, new leagues are popping up all over the US. If you love team sports and want a challenge, look for a Kronum team near you!
• Waterskiing – The pull of the boat makes this water sport like a constant tug-of-war, working your entire body “from your neck right down to your feet,” says professional water skier April Coble. The best part about this extreme sport is that you’re never too old or too young to try it. Coble has seen people ages two to 80 work a board. “My 67-year-old mother is better than ever!” she says.
• Kickball – “Kickball is a great cardio sport—running after the ball is like doing cardio interval training. Plus, you are developing agility and coordination by following the ball and kicking it,” Smith says. Adult kickball leagues are popping up all over the US. Let your inner-child free and make new friends by joining a league, or get the whole office involved and create a league with co-workers.
• Roller Derby – This full-contact team endurance race requires roller skates and a lot of core and leg strength. Gotham Girls Roller Derby coaching chair Tracey DeBenedictis, nicknamed “Aerial Assault,” describes the roller derby stance like “holding a squat for two hours.” The two 30-minute halves played in each bout will work your entire body. “It’s a lot of endurance,” DeBenedictis says. Build muscle and confidence with this tough sport
• White Water Rafting – This extreme workout tones your arms, back, shoulders, and core while getting your adrenaline pumping. If you’re looking for a challenge and adventure, skip the swimming pool and try white water rafting to burn a whopping 300-350 calories per hour!
• Explore A National Park – Stroll through one of the 393 National Park Units in the US to burn calories and get in touch with nature. And the best part: It’s completely free! You’ll knock out a workout and learn a bit about history. Pack a picnic and make it a date or go solo for some self-reflecting time.
• Hantis – When it’s too hot to go outside, hit up your local community center and start a game of hantis . The four-player game is similar to four-square but adds tables, making it more like handball. Don’t let the tables and small playing field fool you—hantis is more than just a way to improve your coordination. “You have to sprint back and run fast at every play,” says hantis creator Ben Fatherree. “It’s more cardio than anything.”
• Skating – Inline skating is an excellent cardio and strength workout. If it’s too hot outside and you have access to an ice rink, try speedskating instead! “Inline technique is better cardio training because you sit higher when you skate; you can get your heart rate higher,” says Shane Domer, strength and conditioning coach for US Speedskating. Speedskating is done on the ice in a crouched, lower position. “You have a lot of strength and stability in your lower body,” Domer says. Regardless of which one you try, you’ll be sure to see results with these full-body workouts.
• Flag Football – If you struggle to stick with your workout routine, a team sport like flag football might be just the push you need to stay fit. “One of the best things about joining a recreational flag football league is the support of a group! If you know your team is counting on you for a game, you are more likely to show up and participate,” Smith says. What’s more motivating than having fun with your friends?
• Walking Your Dog – Burn some calories and make your pooch happy at the same time. If your dog is up to it, try jogging to up the intensity. Keep in mind that your dog is packing an extra layer of fur and can easily overheat, so aim for morning jogs before 11am or evening walks after 4pm to avoid the hottest time of day.
• Gardening or Yard Work – Take care of your yard and your body by working on your summer garden. “Just be sure not to stay in a hunched over position too long (as we often do while weeding or planting), as it can be stressful on your back,” Smith says. “I recommend standing up and changing positions often, and even doing back extensions if you are leaning over for too long.”
• Volunteer – Among many other things, volunteering your time can also help you stay active. Build homes with Habitat for Humanity, walk dogs for the elderly, or help with disaster relief to get moving while you make a difference. Take up coaching a children’s sports team or sign up to walk or run in a charity race. There are so many options! The key is finding one that fits your interest and schedule.

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I have many ask what does my diet consist of? Well this in itself is sometimes a loaded question and the reason that I say this is because if you are catching me during show prep time then it’s extremely strict and boring.  If you are catching me at pre-shoot time it may not be as severe but then again could be much more of a carb depleting diet and if it’s just during a normal everyday week (which doesn’t happen that often) THEN it may be something you are interested in

What I like to tell people or the advice that I give and this is to a fairly new “dieting” individual.  Although I much rather prefer “lifestyle change” than diet.  Diet assumes that it’s short-lived or not something that will continue on.  The advice that I prefer to give people is more to change the ways they eat, to benefit from it, and then to carry this throughout the rest of their lives and always better their life if possible.

This is basically what I give as a general guideline, this is what to cut out immediately right away as most people are trying to kickstart their metabolism again.  The majority of people that I have ask me questions have a problem with what to eat, what not to eat and how much, how many times a day to eat.  One piece of advice that I can give, the more meals you put in a day the BETTER!!! I do six meals a day, yes that sounds like a lot and for somebody who does 2 or 3 of course it is…it’s double..BUT it will work I promise!!

The major things that I tell a person when beginning on their diet is you HAVE  to cut out these major factors for at least 2 months, be very strict and then you can absolutely incorporate them back in to your diet (not all as some are just bad for you) but even the other things in MODERATION can be brought back in.  What you are basically doing with this diet is “jump starting” your metabolism again because more than likely if you aren’t seeing the results and you definitely aren’t following more strict guidelines..you have probably slowed down your metabolism.

The following items should absolutely be cut out for the period of time that you need your body to acclimate to the changes.  Number one you are probably cutting out a number of things that you shouldn’t be having anyway, number two you are adding more good to your body every single day (and you will feel like all you do is eat and you’re getting fat but trust me when I say YOU WILL NOT!!)   So here is what I would cut out for 2 months:  dairy, sugar, salt, white carbs and alcohol (I know crazy!!! lol) NO EXCEPTIONS…don’t try to switch this or that, etc just be strict for 2 months that’s all I ask

Once you have done this you should see some very big changes and as you progress in your training and diet you can learn how to incorporate some of these things back into your diet, have a cheat meal (not a cheat day) and how to handle yourself in different social situations when it comes to food!

A few other tips that I can give in terms of diet are more replacement items for some things that you may be using now.  For example seasonings I always use Mrs. Dash, there is a huge variety now of flavors and it is all salt free.  I use splenda (obviously) instead of sugar.  Recently I was changing up somebody’s diet a bit and rather than him using wheat bread or bagel etc I recommended Ezekial bread (and it also comes in wraps, english muffins, etc so not limited to just bread).  I would always substitute a white potatoe with a sweet potatoe (unless you are following some sort of show diet guidelines and are in need of white).  Also of course your veggies stick with anything green and not colored (just for the initial stages of course) green beans, zucchini, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, etc.

I hope this mini guideline will help a few people out! As I stated before and I will ALWAYS say this…everyone’s body is different and along with that comes different changes and different outcomes but the initial guidelines for people can be similar.  Good luck with the dieting ladies or lifestyle changes as I like to say!!!

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• NETWORK: One Of The Best Pieces Of Advice For An Aspiring Fitness Model

Now  that you have made an important step in the transformation of the new you, it’s  time to map the course.  The  importance of commitment in the transformation process is crucial and you must  stay on track.  It is much easier to  stay focused and on track by following 3 easy steps.

Step 1: Set  Your Goal

Be  realistic when setting your goals.  Don’t set yourself up for failure. For example, don’t say I need to lose  10lbs by this weekend or you want to fit in your old high school jeans, after  you have given birth to your third child.  Those goals are unrealistic and unfair to you.

Be  specific in your goal setting. State what you will do, rather than what you want  to do. Example is, I will lose 15 pounds.  What you will do and what you want to do are two different things. You  can accomplish anything.

Realistic goals, like are mentioned before, are crucial. If you are  serious about losing 50 pounds, you will do it. It will not happen overnight. A  rule of thumb is to divide your weight by 100 and that is the amount of weight  you should be losing per week. For example, if you weigh 150lbs divided by 100  will equal 1.5. That means you should be losing 1.5lbs per week. You can give  yourself a specific time to reach goals, but again, they must be realistic time  frames.

Step 2:  Nutrition

Nutrition is the key to every health plan. This is a commitment  that should not be broken.

The  most important meal of the day, breakfast, should never be missed. By skipping  this meal, you actually trigger a hormonal response in the body to store the  majority of your later meals as body fat. Also, skipping breakfast has proven to  increase your appetite throughout the day. So be sure to include a healthy  breakfast each and every day.

Goodbye to flour and fried foods. These foods are the main culprits  for the obesity epidemic we are facing today. If you like sweet stuff, be sure  to reduce your sugar intake. By removing these from your diet, even though it  will be difficult, it will definitely be worth it.

It is  time to change what we are consuming each and every day. We get so used to  eating the same types of foods, that we are not sure if they are good for us or  not. Switch to foods with natural sweeteners like stevia or xylitol, whole grain  breads and pastas, and baked, grilled, or steamed food.  By making these switches, you will see  an instantaneous drop on the scale and a change in your body.

Drink,  drink, and drink more water. You should be starting off with a half gallon of  water a day. Once you are comfortable with drinking that amount, move up to a  full gallon.  Most of us are  dehydrated and we don’t even know it.  This confuses our brain into thinking we are hungry and the more water  you drink, the less you eat. So drink up.

Step 3:  Exercise

The  final step in making a change is to exercise daily. This is not only great for  your body, but it is great for your mind and well being. Make a daily  appointment with yourself to exercise. It doesn’t have to be for hours at a  time, it can be as quick as 10 minutes. You will begin to see an improvement in  no time.

We all  have calorie burning engines on our bodies, our legs. Next time you go to the  store, park farther away and walk or take the stairs instead of the elevator.  Little things like this, add up.

You  don’t have to go to a gym or follow a fitness video to get exercise. Do what you  like to do or try something new like tennis, kickboxing, basketball, dancing,  kayaking, etc). Selecting activities you like to do will make it that much more  fun to exercise.

By  following these 3 simple steps, you are setting up a foundation for a lifetime  of success. Your overall well being will change for the better.  So enjoy each day and always keep in  mind these simple steps.

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