10 Tips to help you Maintain Doing the Holiday Season

Tis the season to gain 10-15bs with all the eating and family and friends, holiday parties and going out to eat...its what happens doing the holiday season. But it really doesn’t have to be that way, there are several things that we can do to void gaining thoughs holiday pounds.

1.)    Avoid the Big Eyes Syndrome: Make sure that you are aware of what you are eating. As a matter of fact try eating before you go to the holiday party. This way you are full and you don’t feel tempted to eat everything in site.

2.)    Write down what you eat: It is holiday party season and you can start picking up random office treats, party snacks and office candy throughout the day. Give yourself a limit of what you are willing to eat or try to say no. Write down what you are eating throughout the day, so if you are gaining weight you know why.

3.)    Stay Active: Don’t stop working out because it’s the season to relax. Make sure that you are doing some type of full body workout 5-6 days a week! If you are going shopping power walk throughout the mall. Could be fun!

4.)    Don’t be a taster: If you are cooking or watching someone else cook, don’t taste everything in site. Popping random food can account for up to 300 calories in a single set. Be mindful of how often and what you are tasting.

5.)     Avoid the all or nothing trap that we fall into...Just because you indulged in a piece of cake pie or fried chicken does not mean you have to completely give up for the day. Just because you overindulged one night does not mean you have to give up the whole weekend. Get up the next day exercise and still eat right.

6.)    Find a partner: You all can hold each other accountable and challenge each other to reach your full potential with eating right and exercising.

7.)    It is the season for alcohol: Avoid the beverages loaded with cream, milk, soda; these beverages are loaded with simple sugars and extra calories. Reach for A skinny margarita or light beer; your best choice will always be a glass of wine or alcohol with no mixer. But the best choice is no alcohol at all…(but who are we kidding?)

8.)    Don’t Skip Meals: Eating anything at the last minute just means you are grabbing for the wrong foods. Your blood sugar can get low making you want to grab anything in site to feel your hunger pains. So eat 5-6 small meals a day.

9.)    Drink Water: This never gets old if you are drinking your 8-10 glasses of water a day you are staying hydrating. Drinking water before each meal tends to help you get full faster.

10.) One simple Treat: Make sure that you do have the treat that you want. It is the holiday season and you don’t want to not be able to enjoy the good foods. Just don’t over indulge and one small portion of your favorite treat will not hurt your diet. But also make sure you keep up with your exercise plan as well.

Enjoy your holiday season with friends and family and remember to keep your beachbody in tact with great exercise and a diet that is suitable to your lifestyle. Exercising should be fun; it should be a party you just have to find out what works best for you. Your diet should be something that you can live with on the daily basis not something that is draining your energy, has you over thinking and just upset with food.  So tis the season to enjoy but not overindulge!

Yours Truly,

Dione Stlhealthnut Neal

For more information on great fitness programs please visit:

 http://www.stlhealthnut.com/ or www.myshakeology.com/stlhealthnut

For questions email me at stlhealthnut@gmail.com

Yes! I’m moving but I am stressed.

OMG you are moving! I am so excited for you and at the same time I offer you my deepest sympathies. Moving is a very thrilling time but it also can be very stressful. The packing, finding boxes, taping, de-cluttering your life and lets not forget that infamous give away piles. But what keeps you going is the excitement of moving into a new home and possibly for some into a new city.

If you are like me, moving can be very stressful and takes you off track from your normal life including your workout routine. Even though you feel as if time will not permit you to workout, like any other thing that’s important to you, you want to make sure you schedule your workout into your life and stick to that schedule.  

Physical activity for anybody helps take control of the stress in your life. According to mayoclinic.com any form of exercise, from aerobics to weightlifting, kickboxing to tennis or racket ball can act as a stress reliever. It doesn’t matter how physically fit you are any form of exercise minimum 3-4 days a week is great for the body. What type of exercises are you doing? Are you thinking to hard when you go to the gym? Are you getting a full body workout in?

My favorite form of exercise is a kickboxing exercise called Turbo Fire. I am married to this workout routine and have found something that relieves my stress, and I can have fun while doing it.  I find it hard to go to the gym and then figure out what workout will work best in a short period of time so that I won’t spend 2-3 hours in the gym. If you have the luxury to be able to afford a personal trainer to do the thinking for you that is awesome and I say go for it. But at home workouts are great as well. You can throw in a DVD, pump of those endorphins, your brains feel good neurotransmitters and get in a great workout without even thinking about it and guess what you have calmed your mind your body and have relieved some of the stresses that go along with moving.

So in the middle of unpacking stop what you are doing throw in a workout DVD to relieve some of the stress. It will energize your body and put you into a better mood which will allow you to get more done with a clear mindset. Happy Moving!!!

For questions about workouts or gyms please email me at

stlhealthnut@gmail.com or visit www.stlhealthnut.com

Friend or Foe - Energy Drinks

Its been a long day and you are fatigued what do you reach for to get your energy levels back up??? Most people go for soda or coffee. But, since 2006 their has been an increase in energy drink consumption. Imagine picking up an energy drink and consuming more then 3 per day. To some people this may sound excessive but to some young adults and college students this is normal. Most of the boost in energy drinks comes from two things — sugar and caffeine — and the effect is short-term. Then you experience the "downer" were your energy level falls rapidly and you are fatigued even more then before you consumed the drink. Some people become addicted to them because they receive a high off of that increase in energy.

The problem with energy drinks is they are categorized as nutritional supplements and because of this factor they actually avoid the limit of 71 mg caffeine per 12 fluid ounces that the US Food and Drug Administration has set for soda. Consequently the energy drinks can contain as much as 75 to 400 mg caffeine per container, with additional caffeine not included in the listed total often coming from additives( guarana, kola nut, yerba mate, and cocoa).

According to Emma Hitt, PHD and author on medscape.com the maximum daily intake for adolescents is 100mg and up to 300mg for adults. The average adult consumes up to 3 cups of coffee per day and the average adolescents can have as many as 2 -3 energy drinks per day on top of the other drinks they are consuming.

Now what if a different option existed other then coffee, soda or energy drinks. What if you could have a drink that replaced your meal, allowed you to feel energized, helped you loose weight and improved your digestion and regularity. Many people would prefer to reach for an energy drink because they are cheap and easily accessible even if its not healthy and is only causing health issues amongst those that consumer them more often then they should. They are loaded with simple sugars and can be linked to increase in weight and the rapid increase of type 2 diabetes. The sugar in energy drinks causes insulin spikes which later result in a “crash like” feeling so even if you are trying to loose weight the sugar in the drinks can prevent you from reaching your weight loss or fitness goals.

As a substitute for energy drinks I recommend Shakeology. Not only will it energize you but it will also help you loose weight, improve your digestion and regularity and some have reported a decrease in blood pressure, stabilized blood sugar and an improvement in there overall health. Take back your life and control your energy levels and cravings as well. This meal replacement is filled with Protein, Digestive Enzymes, Vitamins, Minerals, Phytonutriens, Prebiotics and it has no gluten. The video below is more information about The Healthiest Meal of the Day - Shakeology.

Shakeology

Yours Truely,

For more information about Shakeology please email me!
STLHEALTHNUT@GMAIL.COM

Turkey Day Blues

As my favorite Holiday approaches I know people are getting excited about the awesome food that will sit before there eyes on Thanksgiving. The turkey, dressing, macaroni and cheese, greens, yams, green beans, sweet potatoe, peach cobbler oh my! Yessss it all sounds so delicious, and its so good that our eyes are become bigger then our stomach and we overindulge in everything. When we would normally have one serving we have two or three large plates throughout the day and nite. But unfortunately a lot of the food we eat doing Thanksgiving are loaded with fat and are high in calories, sodium and cholesterol. These are the foods that clogs your arteries and leave you with the itis(when you eat so much that you can not move and its time to sleep) at the end of the day. The average person consumes over 2000 calories on one plate of food. That's more then a large grown man should have in an entire day. There are many ways to add less calories to your food and have a lite thanksgiving but then it would be thanksgiving so I am not even going there.

Here are a few ways to help keep you from packing on the extra 10-15lbs this holiday season:

• Start working out now, there is no time like the presence to begin a workout routine. It gives you the jump start that you need in order to actually complete your new years resolution.
• Cut out all juice and soda, these are unnecessary empty calories
• Limit your alcohol intake as well (sorry i had to say it)
• Drink 3-4 glasses of water before you sit down and eat your meal
• Do not drink anything while you are eating, drink before or after your meal this helps break down the food faster in your system.
• Begin a healthy eating regime now, low carbs high protein is what I recommend
• Stop eating things that are white...white flour, noodles, sugar, bread, fried chicken(yes I said it) FRIED FOODS PERIOD.( you can treat yourself every now and then but this should not be apart of your daily diet)
• Try to make your food at home and avoid fast foods (this also helps save you money)

Try a few tips hopefully you will not be the one this season gaining the seasonal 10-15lbs. Happy Eating!

Yours Truly,

Dione Neal your,

STLHEALTHNUT

For more ways to achieve your health and fitness goal please visit:

http://www.stlhealthnut.com/

Are You Moving?

As the obesity rate continues to rise in this nation it makes me wonder do people care more about the taste of food then there health, are they not fully informed about the dangers that some food can have on their health or do they not have the right tools to get them up and moving? Its going to take more then Lil ole' me to get people excited about health and fitness. That is why every time I see the First Lady of our country pushing her Obesity Campaign I get really excited. It is about time someone in a higher position begins to tackle the youth first. Let’s inform the children if there parents are not willing to take the first steps perhaps the children will be able to help encourage their parent’s family and friends to begin to move.

"This isn't just a policy issue for me. This is a passion. This is my mission. I am determined to work with folks across this country to change the way a generation of kids thinks about food and nutrition," Michelle Obama.

Michelle Obama Obesity Campaign Components

Let's Move has four areas of focus:

1. Healthy Choices: better nutrition labeling, a revamped food pyramid, and regular monitoring of children's BMI
2. Healthier Schools: reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act for improved school lunches; expansion of the Healthier US Schools Challenge
3. Physical Activity: modernize the President's Physical Fitness Challenge program and increase participation; partner with professional athletes to encourage 60 minutes of active play daily
4. Access to Affordable Healthy Food: Address the problem of "food deserts," urban and rural areas without access to affordable, nutritious foods

These are great steps that hopefully will help our country fight the obesity epidemic. But it also starts with us individually. Now believe it or not fitness can be fun! You just have to figure out what really works for you. On my fitness journey I have come to understand that for me running is not my thing and I am not a fan of going to the gym and just doing cardio and weight lifting. In many aspects those are some great options for fitness but just not for me. What works for me is cardio kick boxing, I love Turbo Fire by Chalene Johnson a beach body product, the music is hot, the moves are awesome and it keeps me interested and wanting to wake up in the morning to get moving. This workout kicks my butt, but it is fun for me. My older brother is a fan of P90X by Tony Horton and my younger brother enjoys running and riding his bike, all great fitness options which keeps each one of us wanting to continue on our fitness journey. What are you doing or what choices are you making to assure that your fitness journey is fun and a lifestyle change?

Yours Truly,

STLHealthut
http://beachbodycoach.com/stlhealthnut
stlhealthnut@gmail.com

Catch Up!

It has been a while since my last blog. This summer has really got me occupied! But its now time to get back into business. I have goals and I am sure your all have summer goals as well. So where do you stand with you path to good health and fitness. With only two months left of summer...Yes I said two. It still leaves you with plenty of time to jump start your weight loss goal and allow yourself to cruise into the winter months with just weight loss maintenance. If you go hard now and focus on what you are eating and making sure that you are doing some cardio activity 4-6 times a week and lifting weights 2-3 times a week you will be on the track to greatness. I myself am on a 4 week challenge to loose 10-15lbs or just get back into my size 4-6 clothes. What ever motivates me right! I am eating healthy and focusing on a lot of cardio kick boxing to shed the pounds and Pilate's for core muscles and to lean out my body! It doesn't take much to get their just a positive attitude something that motivates you and the right tools!!! Well keep up the good work and the only one you will disappoint is yourself! Go Big or die trying!

What Will You Choose?

          I have been reading a few articles here lately about how America is the most obese country and the State of Mississippi has now declared war on obesity. I understand that a lot of people are a product of their environment and some of the only places individuals can get food from are the local corner stores, mom and pop diners and fast food restaurants. If they are able to shop at a grocery store because they have to stretch their dollars and get as much food with little money then things like fruits and vegetables are out of the question because of the cost. I understand all of that and hopefully one day this government and this country will find ways to make it easier for low income families to afford healthier foods. But right now it is killing many families especially African Americans.

            Now what I do not understand is how individuals whom have all the tools they need to become healthy and to be somewhat in shape still choose to make the wrong choices everyday when it comes to their health. Everyday some  people wake up and by their choices say I am going to choose to eat fried chicken, cakes, pies, fried fish, chips and soda, fried pork chops, burgers and french fries because it taste good. Instead of saying I am going to choose to love me and my body and choose to eat right. I am not saying that everything we put into our mouths has to healthy. You should be able to eat a combination but I do believe 70 to 80% of what you put inside of your body should be good healthy lean foods. The other 20- 30% can be your cheat foods.

            I could not imagine walking around my office out of breath because of the extra weight I am carrying around. I can not imagine not being able to enjoy a beautiful day in the park with friends and family because my knees are hurting. I could not imagine having to go to sleep with a sleeping aid because there is too much fat surrounding my lungs and heart. I could not imagine having medical bills up the wall because of something that I can personally prevent.

            I choose my health over choosing that bucket of fried chicken everyday. I choose to want to live a long healthy life instead of drinking soda everyday. I choose to walk around feeling great about myself instead of choosing to eat that double cheese burger or strawberry shortcake concrete every week. I choose to be disciplined and take the time out to think about what I am putting in my body. It’s okay to overindulge in the foods that you love every now and then but not on the weekly basis. I hope you choose what is best for your health and not choose what is best for your taste buds right now. Live Healthy, Live Long, Live Happy.

Yours Truly,

STL Healthnut

What do you do after you work out?

           I work up this morning and my body was aching (man) from an amazing workout I had yesterday and I could not for the life of me figure out why I was hurting so bad. Yes I had worked out muscles that haven’t seen those positions in while, but that shouldn't mean I have to go reaching for my epsom salt in order to get my day started. Eventually I thought about my workout and realized that I did not have the proper recovery afterwards. After each workout you should take an additional 5-10mins and properly stretch your body. This not only allows the body to cool down but stretching is essential to muscle health and prevention of injuries.

When your muscle is used repeatedly, lactic acid moves into the muscle. This is the stuff that causes pain in your body after working out. When you end your workout or activity, your muscles are at their shortest and in order to reduce the muscle pain, you need to stretch while the muscles are warm and this allows some of that acid to move out of the muscle. After saying all of that stretching simply prevents injuries and reduces muscle soreness.

           

In order to really reduce muscle soreness you should always have a recovery drink after each workout out. P90x has a great Results and Recovery packet that I use which refuels, re-energize, and reduce muscle soreness after-workout.  Also any type of performance recovery formula works as well.

            You can always just go and workout and get results but to ensure great body and muscle health and to also prevent future injuries you really need to make sure you do stretch and also utilize a great recovery shake! Otherwise you will be limping around like an old man or women feeling sorry for yourself or ashamed that your body does not recover as fast. You too can still feel and look young at any age. Just listen to your body and take the proper steps for prevention.

Yours Truly,

STLHealthnut & Beach Body Coach

http://beachbodycoach.com/stlhealthnut

To Sip or Not to Sip

One of the things I find really hard to give up in this weight loss journey and just being fit and healthy is alcohol. Some people don't want to give up there cakes and pies and pastas. I personal do not want to give up my tequila and red wine.

But, drinking alcohol can affect your weight loss progress. The fact of the matter is alcohol is filled with empty calories; there is nothing nutritious or healthy about drinking this useless substance. It contains about 7 calories per gram - which is nearly twice the calorie content found in carbs and protein (4calories/gram). Also, having a few glasses of wine or a couple of beers can equal an entire meal or a snack it just depends on how many you plan on taking back. I limit my alcohol intake to twice a week and those are the days I know I am going to be out with friends or going on a hot date. One thing I felt was helpful for me was knowing the amount of calories certain drinks have. So, if you can count calories and you need to have that glass of wine or beer or mixed drink(which is the worst when it comes to calories) knowing the amount of calories in certain drinks may help you decide what to sip or what not to sip!

Wines are the best place to start they have less then 160 calories. White wines contain about 65 calories and Reds contain about 70 calories. Port wines have the smallest serving size but the highest number of calories starting at 120.

Now beer on the other hand contain anywhere between 95-210 calories. One of the lightest beers is Anheuser Busch Select 55 with only has 55 calories. Then there is Michelob Ultra with 95 calories or a Bud Select with 99 calories. Shoot for the light beers, they have fewer than 100 calories. Most of the darker beers are loaded with calories and I would say stay away from them if possible. So for the heavy beer drinkers if you take 4-6 beers back then you are drinking on average between 400-600 calories in just of few hours of drinking. No wonder people have beer belly’s.

Hard liquor on the other hand ranges from 125 calories + just depends on the type of drink you are getting. If you are drinking hard liquor straight up then you have less calories to worry about, but when you add a mixer that is not a diet soda or club soda that’s when the calories start adding up. Example if you enjoy downing a margarita then a 4oz serving contains 180 calories (all carbs). Now the average margarita glass holds 12oz so you will be drinking 540 calories from one drink. Vodka and cranberry juice is about 167 calories. These types of drinks can really put a damper on your weight loss progress. Most of the mixed drinks contain a lot of carbs mainly from the juice which is one of the reasons you may feel really full after a night of drinking.

I am not saying don’t drink because obviously I do enjoy a glass of wine every now and then. But do watch what you are drinking and know that alcohol can play a role if you not meeting your weight loss goals. So just ask yourself when you are out to sip or not to sip!

Enjoy,

STL Healthnut

White Devil Carbs

Now what I know for sure is that white carbohydrates are the devil hence the title "White Devil Carbs". Have you ever had the feeling of wanting to fall asleep after eating a big meal filled with pasta, breads or deserts? Have you ever felt extra bloated or big after eating a delicious cupcake, muffin or pie? Have you ever had to unbutton or unzip your pants after eating a white carb filled meal. Well I have and I am sure every other American has as well. It is the American lifestyle to eat fast fatty foods. We wake up in the morning and eat muffins, donuts and pancakes. We have sub sandwhiches, cookies and burgers with white buns for lunch and for dinner we have pizza, fast food and white pasta's (lasagna, spaghetti or penne pasta). All of those foods I just mentioned are filled with the "White Devil Carbs" which are simple carbohydrates.

       There are two types of carbohydrates simple and complex the simple carbs with the exception of fruits are not the best thing for you they tend to break down easily, are lower in fiber and filled with simple sugars. This is the stuff that gives you that burst of energy that gets your blood sugar levels all out of control and then you crash.  I am not saying to cut white carbs out of your diet completely but if you are looking to loose weight then eliminating your intake of those "White Devil Carbs" would be a step in the right direction.

       If you are the type of person that just needs carbs in your life then complex carbs are what you want to stick with. They are high in fiber which helps you digest things better and keeps you regular, if you know what I mean ;-). They give you that good energy and allows you to feel full and satisfied after every meal. Complex carbs are whole grain so you can have whole grain pasta, bread and brown rice as well as vegetables and fruits.

      Between both complex and simple carbs they both tend to make me feel sluggish and also bloated and definitely full. I try to minimize the amount of carbs that I do eat. Sticking with mainly brown rice and sweet potatoes and I may have a piece of wheat bread every now and then. I challenge you to pay attention to how you feel after you eat these types of foods. Once you realized what simple carbs do to your body you may want to switch it up and stick with the complex carbs. I've taken this challenge and that is why simple carbs are now in my eyes "White Devil Carbs."

                 

 Yours Truly,

 STL HealthNut 

What, what what’s my Motivation?

How often do you find yourself unmotivated to workout, disconnected from the thoughts of wanting to workout and eat right? How often would you rather pick up that piece of fried chicken or cupcake or eat a plate full of creamy pasta or even stop off at Chick-fil-A every time you see one (my weakness)?

Like most people we all start off with the best intention, we purchase our gym memberships we begin to workout and eat right but then a few months later we have fallen of that fitness craze and suddenly we are not at the gym as much, eating out becomes more consistent, late night treats at the white castle (maybe this is just me) happens more then needed. We have completely loss track of why we began this fitness journey.

Now, I have had this conversation with myself (yes I do talk to myself thank you) and also some friends. The real question is what is motivating you to even want to stop eating wrong and begin to eat healthy, what motivates you to want to exercise? Really think about this question. I found out a long time ago that the only thing or reason that can motivate you has to be you. Your motivation can not be to look good for your boy friend, girlfriend, husband or wife because as soon as you break up or they piss you off you are going to say forget them and begin to eat and drink what ever you want. You can’t be motivated by a special occasion like a vacation, wedding or class reunion. It sounds good but as soon as those events are over you will go right back into your same bad eating habits and almost non-existent exercise routine. So I challenge you to really figure out why you even want to loose weight and eat healthier.

My reasons are because I love the way I feel when I am at a certain weight. I am more confident, I have more energy and I can wear the clothes and swim suits that I want. I really enjoy exercising and lifting weights, it’s the way that I de-stress. If I go to the gym it helps me to turn my focus and thoughts back on me, it’s my time to meditate and my time to think. I want to be able to walk out the door knowing I look my best and feel my best.

Now once you have figured out what motivates you, think about what type of exercise routine you would like to get into. The gym is not for everyone, you can take classes at the gym or even purchase fitness DVD’s. Workout outdoors, running jogging, biking. Get involved with team sports. The bottom line is you have to like your workout in order to even want to show up and complete it. Even if that means going to all the different classes at the gym or borrowing friends fitness videos to see what you like, do it. Figure out what really works best for you and go for it!

Yours Truly,

St. Louis Health Nut
Dione Neal

New To The Game

You may or may not know this about me but for the last few years I have really been getting into the concept of what it means to have good health and how to get into tip top shape. Back in high school and college I considered myself to be an athlete a major Track and Field star. But once the sprinting, running and jumping ended so did the awesome body I had. At my prime I was a size 4 5ft 8in and 148 pounds of pure awesomeness. Things changed, life evolved around seeing how much money I can make, work and paying the bills, how boring is that. I wasn’t happy and begin to just let myself go not worrying about what I was eating, drinking and you can forget exercise, that was out of the picture. Years went by and I begin to wonder what was missing in my life what would make me the happiest. What came to mind was competition, I missed being an athlete, I missed the fun in running and working out and being a team player! So I begin to research and learn more about fitness, I began to exercise and lift weights and begin to love the gym. So since I  have found my passion it is time to start feeding it and growing into a fitness guru not just a nut. I am going to use this blog to motivate myself while also motivating others. What I know for sure is that being in great shape is not just about going to the gym doing 30min to 1 hour of  cardio and hitting some weights, the majority of it has to do with what I put into my body.  For myself I noticed that  I use to work out all the time and just maintained the same weight and was getting really frustrated until I learned that 80% of loosing weight and getting into good shape has to do with the food you eat and a  small percentage is working out. Let’s grind it out together! Share this journey with me and hopefully you will get something out of it and also teach me something’s as well.

Yours Truely,

STL Health Nut