DIET TIPS AND TRICKS

Here's a video from a segment on The Today Show. It has some great recommendations for healthier swaps and calorie conservation while eating out. I will definitely be implementing the burrito suggestion into my taco takeout!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

IMPROVE YOUR MOOD WITH FOOD

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

2010 NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS (AND HOW TO RUN A MARATHON)

Here at SexyHealthyHappy, 2010 has been dubbed "the year of 'no more excuses'"! So much of life and living is mentality and mindset, so let this year be the year that we all focus on changing ours.

If you have a dream, 2010 is the year to stop reminding yourself of all the reasons why you "can't" and just start doing! Each of us is literally capable of anything, we just need to start believing it. This year it's time to take the plunge!

*So you always wanted to write a book, "but there's no way I'll ever get published". POPPYCOCK! How do you know until you try? If we are so afraid of failure that we never act, our lives will forever be filled with regret and what-if's. Don't think, just put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard); you can worry about the future of your book once you're finished writing it!

*So you always wanted to change careers, "but the instability of leaving my current, miserable job could ruin me financially". HOGWASH! If you stay in a field that doesn't make you happy just for the money, in time you'll ruin yourself emotionally. Nothing meaningful is ever accomplished by "playing it safe"; believe in yourself and start pursuing your dream career! True happiness is living the life you love, so stop settling for the life you can "live with". A huge paycheck will never hold a candle to true happiness :)

*So, like Li, you've always wanted to run a marathon, "but I'll never find the time or drive to train for it". HOOEY! If you can breathe and walk, you can get off the couch and start running! Your body can do more than you ever imagined, just give it a try. Stop viewing those 26.2 miles as insurmountable and start walking/running them, one step at a time. Life is short and fragile, so get your ass up and run toward your dreams!

You get the point! Regardless of your dream, start reaching for it! Perfection isn't the goal, self fulfillment is. Do your absolute best and pull out all the stops; it's knowing that you did everything you could to realize your own happiness that is the ultimate reward. Don't get discouraged and don't lose sight of the prize. It's yours to have if you believe it is.

MARATHON TRAINING
You've thought about it for years, dreamed of the triumphant crossing of the finish line, but how to get from now to 26.2 miles can be confusing and overwhelming. Not any more! Check out this training plan for your "how-to" guide from week to week. The show NOVA on PBS did a special where they took a bunch of couch potatoes and trained them for the Boston Marathon in 9 months!! The specialists created the above training plan for them, and almost all of them finished the marathon! If you are already a runner, just pick up the plan from the week where your long run is one you can already accomplish (ie: I will be starting the week with a Sunday run of 8 miles, meaning my training plan will take a little over 3 months). Good luck! Now get out there and start pounding the pavement!

FUN WAYS TO BURN OFF HOLIDAY CALORIES

HERE is an article with 4 fun and easy ways to burn off some extra calories around the Holidays!

But beware: studies show that exercise is NOT the key to losing weight, DIET is. Exercise is still an important tool to obtaining overall health and wellness, but no amount of activity will "make up" for the calories that you eat.

In other words: if you eat a whole pie, don't think that a vigorous run is going to "fix" your binge. It's more important to focus on eating in moderation, exchanging the whole pie for a thin slice, and staying active. The exercise-eating combo can boost total weight loss and help you maintain, but diet is still the key to slimming success!

With this in mind, remember not to be too hard on yourself. No one is perfect! We all have days when the pull of a pistachio gelato pint is too great to resist. It's most important to FORGIVE yourself, focus on your accomplishments, and live in the present; treating each moment like an opportunity to start anew or focus your resolve.

On days when I can't, or am too lazy to, workout, I give myself a pat on the back for dancing during commercials while watching my favorite TV shows. If I over-indulge at dinner, I applaud myself for NOT getting mad/depressed and for staying hopeful. The cumulative impact of your overall activity and eating are more important than your few-and-far-between slip ups. This holiday season, remember to step back, breathe, and focus on the big picture.

Here is a summary of the article's small and fun activities that can help you stay active and positive:

1) Hanging Holiday Lights (90 calories per hour)

2) Ice Skating (484 calories per hour)

3) Shopping (249 calories per hour)

4) Sledding (121 calories per 15 MINUTES!)

HEALTHY HOLIDAYS: PART THREE

So you've committed yourself to watching portion size and avoiding mindless snacking over the holidays, but how are you going to fit in fitness at the family functions?

Simple! Here are a few tips (and a helpful video workout) to help you sneak in some slimming sessions.

PART THREE: Functional fitness

1) Post-meal motion
If you have a dog or a sibling (or a parent, if they're game), bring them along on a walk around the neighborhood after dinner. Studies have shown that a 10 minute post-meal walk can up calorie burning after a meal by up to 10%! So slap on some sneakers and spend some quality time outside with your fam!

2) Early morning exercises
The best time to squeeze in some activity is before your obligations and family time even start. So set your alarm and get in 30 minutes of body-weight resistance work first thing in the morning. Do push-ups, squats, sun salutations, jumping jacks, and the exercises in the video below... just move your body as much as you can! A great way to make sure you push yourself is to set up goals ahead of time (100 total push-ups, 80 total squats, etc.) and just keep going in sets of 15-20 until you reach your goal. Another benefit to exercising in the morning: you've guaranteed yourself a healthy start to the day! Even if you run out of time later, at least you know you've squeezed in some activity each day.

So stop making excuses! Any activity helps and it all adds up! Check out the video below for an awesome and easy full-body workout.

Happy and Healthy Holidays!!!

HEALTHY HOLIDAYS: PART TWO

So now that you have some healthy holiday recipes up your sleeve, let's talk about preventing binging and diet sabotage during the holiday season!

It can be hard to stick to a diet plan when the holidays roll around. Friends, family, and hordes of food and inactivity often spell disaster for our waistlines, hips, and thighs! But constantly saying "no" and isolating yourself in your bedroom during hordeuvres can ruin your holiday happiness, too. So what is a person to do?! It's actually pretty simple: seek balance.

Here are 2 tips to keep you mingling and munching without regret:

PART TWO: Eating without cheating

1) The "Two-Bite" Rule
You can have whatever you want at the family feast, just limit your intake of sinful snacks to two-bites. This allows you to savor the flavor and satisfy your craving without making a huge dent in your calories! To make sure you're still getting enough bulk to beat back hunger pangs, eat unlimited portions of all vegetable and fruits that are NOT sweetened or sauteed in oil/butter. So go ahead! Have your fill and brave the buffet! With simple limits and open menu options, you're sure to have a waistline-friendly holiday season!

2) Constantly Sipping, Not Constantly Snacking
Often times just BEING in your family home during the holidays means constant temptation. Extra cookies sitting on the counter, an over-stocked fridge... it's just so easy to snack insensibly! The solution: keep your mouth busy! Stock up on mineral water and constantly carry a glass around with you (or a water bottle). This calorie-free, calcium-containing, bubbly brew keeps your tummy feeling satisfied and your mouth full... so you can't shove a cookie in there before meal time. Also great: add some fresh squeezed lemon juice. The citrus smell and added vitamin C help to beat back cravings and keep your hunger at bay!

Check back in here at SexyHealthyHappy or part 3 of our series: finding ways to make your Holidays more active!

HEALTHY HOLIDAYS: PART ONE

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and at least for me that means family, friends, and a whole lot of not-so-healthy and not-so-animal friendly food.

The time around the holidays fosters eating patterns that can snowball into long-term weight gain and diet sabotage, so today I begin the first of a multi-part series dedicated to strategies and recipes for a healthy, indulgent, and fun holiday season!!


PART ONE: Tasty Thanksgiving Treats!

1) Pudge-free Pumpkin
HERE is a recipe for fabulous vegan pumpkin muffins! Replace your slice of fat-filled pumpkin pie with one of these delicious, portion-controlled substitute to save calories without sacrificing taste. Great for the whole family, vegan or not, and left-overs make a great breakfast!

-To add a little extra sumthin-sumthin to these, whip up an easy vegan frosting:
1/4 cup soybean margarine
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup soymilk
1 tsp vanilla extract

2) Meat-Free Main Course
HERE is a recipe for a delicious vegetarian"nut loaf" (think meat loaf but tastier, less greasy, and more humane). This is NOT VEGAN, but to make it vegan just switch out the butter with Earth-Balance and use egg substitute. If you are having thanksgiving with some meat eaters, your friends can still enjoy this dish in addition to their turkey.

-To up the "yum" factor of your loaf, whip up a quick vegan brown gravy! Recipe available HERE

3) Not-So-Sinful Stuffing
HERE is a recipe for a sweet cranberry stuffing that is vegan AND low calorie! To make heartier AND healthier, mix in some cooked quinoa and chopped pecans for a healthy dose of filling-fiber and protein! ALSO, since most dried cranberries are covered in added sugar, replacing the cranberries with pomegranate seeds will up the antioxidant punch in this dish! Mmm mmm mmm!

4) Bulge-Free Beverage
HERE is a recipe for a lower-calorie hot cranberry-apple cider. Warm liquids are great for digestion after a large meal and this drink can serve as a low-cal dessert on the nights before and after the big feast. Only 80 calories per serving!!


Look for my next post in this series. I'll be addressing holiday portion control, staying social without creating a diet disaster, and fun activities for the whole family to help keep your holidays active!