Tag Archives: diet

No More Yo-Yo!

Mar 29 2012
Posted on March 29, 2012 by Your Host, Gina

The Yo-Yo Diet is nothing by a constant cycling of gaining and losing weight. Don’t you want to free your mind of this cycle!! It can cause unnecessary stress in your life! Not only bring about frustrations that cause you to go crazy but  it also has very real and harsh physical affects on your body. It is about time we take the Yo-Yo out of your diet and shed yourself of this once and for all!  Commit to stopping this cycle Today!

PATIENCE!! Losing weight doesn’t happen overnight. Was Rome built in a day? Yo-Yo Dieting may seem appalling because following an unrealistic plan can cause you to lose weight faster but this is not for the longterm, this is temporary, as I like to call it, superficial weight! We all want things NOW, better yet, yesterday but when it comes to your health and reaching your fitness/weightloss goals, you really have to commit to allowing yourself the necessary time to get there. If you want Longterm success and your goals to last, don’t we all, you need to be patient! If you are tempted to lose those unwanted pounds for your best friends wedding, in two weeks, your best bet is to use that as motivation to get yourself going rather than using that as your goal date to reach your goals! Patience!!!

Change your Mindset. It is time to look at food differently. It is time to have a real, healthy relationship with food! See food as a blessing, something that can energize and make you healthy. Seeing food as the devil is not the best thing to do. Food should be your best friend and you need to love your food. It is just knowing when to eat it and what kind. Poor food choices, mindless eating, over eating and under eating are not your best friend but food itself should be. Learn to love your food and see it as nourishing fuel leading you to your goals,  rather than something that is Keeping you from your goals. Change your mind to reach your goals!!

Accept that it is a lifestyle change. You are hearing this more and more lately but there is validity to this concept. The reason you see people get in shape and stay in shape is because they embrace healthy eating and living as a lifestyle. Once you can take on this mindset, your mind and body will be forever changed. Think about brushing your teeth, do you do this on a daily basis without thinking about it? Well of course! Why do you do this? You don’t know any different, you don’t think about it, it is just what you do. This is how the lifestyle will be, once you start embracing it and forming those habits.

Once you embrace the Lifestyle Plan, you can wave good bye those long gone days of harsh diets that get you nowhere!!

Stop Counting Calories. Here, we do not count calories. Yes, you need to be aware of what is going into your mouth but don’t focus on micro calorie counting to the point where you drive yourself crazy! You do want the overall big picture of how much you are eating but what is going to keep you mentally and physically healthy, for the long run, is focusing on portions and what you are eating rather than counting. Stop being a mathematician and start being a Lifestyler!

Love & Accept Yourself!  Start by loving yourself right now for who you are and where you are in your fitness journey! You are amazing, you are beautiful and you are your unique version of you! From there, commit to making changes. Remember that you are human, aren’t we all!! You will have great days, you will have days that you may make a mistake or have a little too much of this or that but it is okay. Only time to learn and move on…  Don’t beat yourself up just keep on moving.

Keep up the great work and focus on these tools to keep you on track with your long terms permanent changes! You can do this! Ditch the Yo-Yo and start Living the Lifestyle!

Learn ALL the tools, how to get started and what steps to take in The Lifestyle Balance Plan Diet!

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"Diet" no More…

Mar 25 2012
Posted on March 25, 2012 by Your Host, Gina

So today, what is on your agenda?? I am sure you have already thought about what you are going to do to be active and also what types of choices you are going to make on your diet! Diet, did I say diet???? NO I meant, Nutritional Program better yet, your Lifestyle Balanced Plan! You will hardly ever hear me refer to the word “DIET”. I cannot stand that word because this is not a diet we are on but a way of life! We can refer to the Greek word where “diet” originated, “DIAITA”, which means “prescribed way of living” another words, “way of life”!! That is what I am talking about! We are NOT on a Diet rather a Diaita!! Today and always we are one with the Greeks!!

“DIET” This is where people go wrong! This is not a “diet”, but a way of life!!

I hear people’s concerns about how boring it may be, or how hard it may be to follow a “diet”. Well of course, If I followed a “Die-T” I would be scared too! Remove that words and suddenly it becomes doable and less intimidating! What it comes down to is getting rid of the notion that you’re eating for weight loss or for a temporary goal and instead eating because you like good food. Seriously, you can’t tell me that our food choices and recipes are not A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!

The Greek word Diaita is how we need to look at our “diets” from now on! We are on a Diaita or a “way of life” nutritional Program, i.e. Lifestyle Program!! This is step one of changing your life forever, simply change your terminology and way of looking at your nutritional plan!! The next step is to make the plunge and commit, you need to have a reason why you want to make the change. When you KNOW why you are doing what you are doing, you have something to refer back to, in times of temptation. This reason should be something you put a lot of time and thought into so it resonates from a deeper emotional level than just for superficial reasons! This meaning you come up with has to have deep meaning to you. If you fall into temptations all too often, maybe you have not come up with a deep enough meaning of why you are embarking upon this lifestyle. Once you have given this some deep thought and know why, you are ready!

Now that you have a brief outline of what to do and why you are doing it… Here is a quick few steps to make this happen.:

1. Set a concrete reason why!
2. Remove the word “diet” from your vocabulary and replace it with “diaita” or “Lifestyle Nutritional Program!”
2. Commit to your new way of life, Begin your Diaita today!!!! :)
3. Clean out your kitchen, pantry of all old food that is not going to help you reach your fitness goals!
4. Go grocery shopping to replace those not so healthy foods! Shop along the perimeter!
5. Start with baby step, taking it one meal at a time, one day at a time!
6. Learn to be creative with your cooking!!! Enjoy all our healthy Recipes that are part of our Diaita!!
7. CONSISTENCY IS KEY!!

Today and always, we are one with the Greeks! Often we have to go back to our roots and the foundation of civilization to discover the truth behind meanings!!

Learn the foundation and Learn the true way of Living a Healthy and Balanced Lifestyle with The Lifestyle Balanced Plan!!

Enjoy your Diaita today and remember how you look at things and how you think can completely change your way of living!

Here is to our way of living…
xo
G

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February Lifestyle Program

Feb 1 2012
Posted on February 1, 2012 by Your Host, Gina

Our New February Monthly Lifestyle Program is now available! Be sure to download it and allow it to help you stay on track this month!

DOWNLOAD: February 2012 LIFESTYLE PROGRAM

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New Year, New You, without Dieting!

Dec 31 2011
Posted on December 31, 2011 by Your Host, Gina

As the new year is finally here, What are you aiming for in 2012? The word “diet” is what comes to so many peoples minds. When asked 10 people what their new years goal was going to be, they all stemed from “diet”. If this is something that has rolled off of your lips, please first change your thoughts by changing your choice of words. If you just listen to how that word sounds or looks, doesn’t it look daunting?! Change the word to something more appealing such as “start living” or “incorporate more delicious foods”, “feel invigorated”. Now of course, those each need to be a bit more specific but doesn’t the overall goal now sound inviting?

When most people think of “dieting”, the thought of deprivation, limited food sources, relentless cravings and boredom comes to mind. When you “diet”, this is typically its outcome but it doesn’t have to be that way! When you start living and learn to incorporate healthy foods, you will feel invigorated and see that “dieting” isn’t so bad after all! It isn’t about restricting yourself but rather learning how to make better choices. Eating less is not typically the answer rather eating differently is. Fad diets will have so much more of a negative impact on your longevity than you can even fathom. If fitting into your skinny jeans is your goal, you can do it without risking your health. You can do it! Rather than taking on the next best “diet”, learn the tools you have to embrace to start living! If you are striving for permanent success, once and for all, please don’t diet in 2012! Dieting may lead to short term success but who wants to put in all the work and suffering for temporary changes and at the cost of your health? Invest your time and energy into creating new habits that will lead you to longterm success!!

Use these tips to help you Start Living in 2012! Notice the differences between Dieters and Lifestylers

-START SMALL. Gradual changes Will lead to big results. Don’t completely cut everything out, start with the 1/2 Rule…

DIETING: CUT OUT ALL SUGAR
LIFESTYLERS: CUT OUT 1/2 THE SUGAR

-SERVING SIZES. Understand a serving size. So often you don’t even know what a serving size looks like. A good rule of thumb:
FIST=1 CUP
PALM=3 OZ
THUMB=1 OZ OR 1 TBSP
TIP OF THUMP 1 TSP

DIETING: NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT YOUR SCALE
LIFESTYLERS: KNOW A SERVING SIZES (may take a while to truly understand but once you do, ditch the scale)

RECORD: Taking note of what you put into your mouth and the type of activity you do will greatly help in your journey. Understanding what it is you do, what you eat and most of all being able to reflect on your past will help you in your future.

DIETING: RECORD EVERYTHING FROM CALORIES, CARBS, FATS, PROTEINS, FATS, ETC. DO NOT EAT WITHOUT COUNTING YOUR CALORIES
LIFESTYLERS: NOTE ALL YOUR INTAKE WITH SPECIFIC FOOD/DRINK CHOICES BUT FOCUS LESS ON COUNTING CALORIES)

Use your Personal Log to Track your Progress!

READ LABELS. Reading food labels is key to understanding there quality that goes into your mouth. It is not only about the nutrition facts but also and almost more important is the Ingredients list. If you can’t read an ingredient, most likely it is not mean to be eaten. Rule of thumb: All ingredients are listed in order from greatest to least so if sugar is #1 and whole grain is #4, that product has 4x as much sugar than whole grain and is not the best choice.

DIETERS: LOOK AT NUTRITION FACTS FIRST, FOCUSING ON CALORIES.
LIFESTYLERS: LOOK AT INGREDIENTS FIRST, NUTRITION FACTS SECOND.

COOK AT HOME. Food is never as healthy as when you prepare it yourself. Learn how to cook so you can enjoy home cooked meals and truly trust what you are eating.

DIETERS: EAT OUT MAKING “HEALTHY” CHOICES NOT KNOWING THEIR WHITE FISH IS BASTED WITH BUTTER.
LIFESTYLERS: COOK AT HOME, CREATE A HEALTHY YET A GOURMET MEAL ANYONE WOULD DIE FOR.

(NON MEMBERS) Download Gina’s 50 Favorite Balanced Healthy Recipes to help you Cook Gourmet!
(MEMBERS) 50 FAVORITE BALANCED RECIPES

FATS. Eat fat but the right kinds. Remember not all fat is created equal. Eat good fat sources from Unsaturated sources and include Coconut Oil, which is a saturated GOOD fat!

DIETERS: NO FAT, PLEASE!!
LIFESTYLERS: GOOD FATS ONLY, THANK YOU!

HYDRATE. Drinking water is essential and should be sipped on throughout the day for hydration and proper bodily functions, energy and vitality! Rule of thumb, drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces.

DIETERS: DRINK WHEN THEY ARE THIRSTY.
LIFESTYLERS: DRINK ALL DAY LONG, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE NOT THIRSTY.

EXERCISE. We cannot forget to include exercise as a huge component of your daily routine! Exercise is so important to burn calories, increase your metabolism but most importantly for your heart health. Exercise daily!

DIETERS: I NEED TO EXERCISE EVERYDAY FOR HOURS ON END.
LIFESTYLERS: DO SOMETHING ACTIVE EVERYDAY, NO MATTER WHAT IT IS. FOCUS LESS ON A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH AND MORE ON WHAT THEY ENJOY!

FOR MY TOOLS, TIPS AND A FULL LIFESTYLE PROGRAM, BECOME A LIFESTYLER TODAY BY DOWNLOADING MY NEW ALL INCLUSIVE 85 PAGE PLAN, OFFERING YOU HOW TO GET STARTED ON YOUR LIFESTYLE PLAN TODAY AND SEE IT THROUGH IN 2012! MY SIMPLE, EASY AND REALISTIC TOOLS WILL ALLOW YOU TO CREATE EVERLASTING CHANGE!! LET ME HELP YOU WITH YOUR JOURNEY! I BELIVE IN YOU!! 2012 IS GOING TO BE YOUR YEAR!!

DOWNLOAD THE PLAN TODAY

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Stop battling the confusion of "diet plans"

Jan 13 2011
Posted on January 13, 2011 by Your Host, Gina

Are you one of those that has millions of books, magazines, printed articles, trying to find the “perfect diet” that “actually works”. Marketing is pretty savvy this day and age so I am sure if you don’t fit into this category, you have at one point or another. First of all, whenever you see the word “diet” you have to beware! Hence, the “DIE-T”, the word literally has the word “die” in it, also to be read “die-T:rying”. If you are searching for that “Diet”, you will literally die trying because guess what, it isn’t out there… It is about finding what works for you, learning the tools and creating healthy habits that can be maintained. You will notice, the word “diet” is never used here in our Fitness Network because it is not a Diet but a Way of Life. It is all about discovering how to best live our lives in a healthy manner, while we achieve the goals we set out for ourselves. Food is not the enemy and should not be feared. The healthy lifestyle here in our fitness network is about making a commitment to yourself to reform or change habits that will build our foundation for a life long healthy, fit, and balanced lifestyle!

The minute you find yourself searching for your next diet or the diet that is really going to work, think again. Take a step back and understand that it is not about this diet or that diet but rather choices and making a commitment! If you have made a commitment to create a new life for yourself, there is not a diet book, article, or magazine that is going to be the guided solution. The solution lies within you and within your ability to want to change!

Let’s put aside “diets” and start Living!! Make a point to eliminate that word from your vocabulary and free your mind!

Have a beautiful day and Stop searching & start digging….

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Making this a Lifestyle in 2011

Jan 1 2011
Posted on January 1, 2011 by Your Host, Gina

The New Year has rolled in and it is YOUR year to Start Living! This year is about making the mental shift from “dieting” to “living”. If you are looking for long term success and reaching your goals and maintaining them, it is all about making this a lifestyle change rather than a temporary fix!

The difference between a “diet” mentality and a lifestyle mentality is your perspective. Having the right perspective doesn’t mean everyday is going to be easy, but it can make all the difference in the world when it comes to reaching your goals and keeping you moving forward.

“Diet” vs. Balanced Lifestyle

A diet is all about numbers! The number on the scale, number of calories burned, number of days dedicated to working out, number of sets, reps, number on your clothing tags, etc…. A dieters success is determined by numbers!

A lifestyle change is NOT about numbers and all about how you feel. It’s about doing something active everyday, making smart nutritional decisions, setting up your goals and ensuring your actions are in line with your goals. The lifestyler’s success is defined NOT by numbers but in the ability to stick to a goal and how it makes YOU feel.

The “diet” mentality reaches a certain weight (number) and then has reached their goal and is “finally happy” and “life’s problems are solved”.

The lifestyle approach sees that there is a deeper root to habits and one must dig deep within themselves to discover, address and deal with deeper problems directly to cleanse the system and build a solid foundation. Happiness stems from within and once one can conquer their inner self, happiness shines through, forever.

Going on a “diet” typically means changing habits based on the rules of that particular diet. Restriction kicks in, the counting begins and the cravings follow. Regardless of how you feel, you tell yourself that “this is the way” and “how you are going to reach your goals”. You assume that it’s this dieting technique that is going to give you the results you desire, not you! The outcome of this diet, if it works, are superficial…. What you are changing is the outer but what about the inside? This is where the post “diet” rebound kicks into gear. It was a “quick and temporary fix”. The problems you hoped the weight loss would solve are still there… This becomes a frustrating cycle, continuing to look for that one “diet” that WORKS… Problem is you keep looking!

Making a lifestyle change involves an internal and permanent changes, from the Inside Out. It is about understanding your relationship with food, eating, and physical activity. You recognize that the primary problem isn’t what you eat, or even how much you eat, but how and why you eat. Eating mindlessly, impulsively our of habit, using food to manage stress or to fill a void, etc. Those are the issues that need to be addressed, working from the inside to discover the roots. Learning to take good care of yourself and create habits that will help you emotionally, physically, and spiritually—so that you don’t turn to food to “solve problems”. It is a lifelong journey that is constantly changing as your needs and circumstances change and it is adapting to those changes.

With that being said, Of course, the outer still matters! Of course, we all want to look and feel great in our clothes. It is important to control portions and what you are consuming but this is not the ONLY way to look and feel your best. Combining conscious decisions with digging deep within to discover your roots is where the lifestyle will carry you through forever!

A Diet seeks quick results… “24 hour diet, 2 week diet, even 2 month diet”, expecting life transforming results YESTERDAY.

The Lifestyle understands that results take time and they will come and they will stay, as long as you are consistent and stay focused on what you want and where you are headed! Our Lifestyle Plan is about creating a foundation and building upon it, from the Inside Out.

This year, change your perspective and take responsibility for your actions. Shift your focus from a “diet” to a balanced lifestyle and see how you feel and how your permanent results unfold!

It is about taking those first step, shifting your focus away from the diet mentality and closer to a new and improved life(style mentality.

Here is to living the lifestyle in 2011!!

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Happy Weekend, Are you bored, Shake up your diet….

Oct 2 2010
Posted on October 2, 2010 by Your Host, Gina

Good Morning everyone! the weekend is here and it is time to have some fun and shake up your diet. Most likely several of you have some more time to spend in the kitchen so after a week of similar foods and possible lack of extravagant and creative cooking, let’s get to cooking creatively and shake up your diet… It is so common and normal to get bored with your diet if you eat the same thing day in and day out, isn’t it!!! BORING… well, to keep you on track and moving forward it is time for some good ol change! The weekend is here, let’s spend a little bit of time to make something healthy and yummy to keep you excited and amped about how you can be on this lifestyle program and Still enjoy your foods!

When you start a new nutritional program, you are excited and find all kind of creative ways to cook and then all the sudden, you tend to lose that enthusiasm and lack the time so you go for a quick and easy way to prepare and ensure you are at least getting in all your meals, right! You start to see results from your meal plan pretty quick and you are excited. Over time, you go from healthy super spiced up turkey burgers to plain ol grilled chicken… The struggle, of course, is then maintaining your weight loss or fitness goals while keeping things fun and exciting. They key here is constant change! If you keep things fresh, yummy and exciting, it becomes much more of a lifestyle and you are less likely to give up because the food becomes less appetizing to you!

When you are in a rut, don’t give up, you have to dig down deep! It may be boredom might be leading you back towards your old habits, but fight back and let’s open up the Recipe section (new or old site) or download the Fit 50 Healthy Recipes and get cooking!!!

Success lies in keep things fresh and one of the biggest things that can be seen as contributing to diet boredom is a regimen that is so specific; it eliminates certain things from your diet, such as a low carbohydrate diet. So many programs limit variety of food options but they don’t have to! So do your best to keep it fresh and try a new recipe this weekend! See how creative you can get and how delicious you can make that chicken taste! :)

Change the types of food you eat. Don’t have the same dinners every day or even too often in a week. Try new things out. It might take a little extra effort in the kitchen, but creativity in the kitchen can be fun and that is what the weekends are for. My suggestion is to at least try out a new recipe once a week. You can make it a family affair… Get your family involved in healthy cooking. Random thought, maybe each family member can have a night of the week, not only to help cook, but to help pick out a recipe.

Add some spice to your diet and try a new recipe today and this weekend and I promise you a new flavor will give you that added extra boost you were looking for to keep moving forward! Change is key and to fight the boredom of eating the same things, day in and day out… try something new. Force yourself to pick out a recipe, get the ingredients you need and get to cooking!!!

Post the recipe you cook, photos and all… feedback is always welcome!

happy and healthy cooking!

Have an amazing weekend!
hugs,
G

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Happy Friday

Sep 10 2010
Posted on September 10, 2010 by Your Host, Gina

Good Morning and Happy Friday!!

Oats, Java and a shake and I am headed out the door to the gym for a circuit before seeing Mrs Superstar Traci for our 30 minute circuit workout and then packing my bags to head up to LA for the weekend. Traci has been digging deep and working to get back into the best shape of her life aiming for that “FABULOUSLY FIT AT 40“. With all the support and tools, we all know you can do it Traci, mind over matter! Excited to watch your journey unfold… one year baby, we’ve got this! That is the best way to strive for those long term results! I am so proud of Traci for accepting the journey of taking it one day at a time, building her dream home with a solid foundation!

So many people want results YESTERDAY, yet they start striving for them TOMORROW! How does that work? Well, it doesn’t and it only leads you towards short term possible weight loss success goals, if that. If losing weight is your goal and your only goal, you can go for a crash diet or hey, have you heard of the Cabbage Soup Diet, for strictly weight loss and to see those number drop, this may be fore you…

The Cabbage Soup Diet plan promises a 10-pound weight loss in one week! Check this out!!

The 7-day Cabbage Soup Diet plan promises all you can eat — as long as you stick to the small list of allowed foods on alternate days, along with two daily bowls of fat-free cabbage soup. Other specific foods that must be eaten including fruit, vegetables, skim milk, and meat. Dieters are also advised to drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol.

Here’s a sample Cabbage Soup Diet plan:

Day 1: Cabbage soup and all the fruit you want except bananas. Drink unsweetened tea, black coffee, cranberry juice, or water.

Day 2: Cabbage soup, all the low-calorie vegetables you want (except beans, peas, or corn), and a baked potato with butter.

Day 3: Cabbage soup and a mixture of the above fruit and vegetables.

Day 4: Cabbage soup, up to eight bananas, and two glasses of skim milk.

Day 5: Cabbage soup, up to 20 ounces of beef, chicken or fish, up to six fresh tomatoes, and at least 6-8 glasses of water.

Day 6: Cabbage soup, up to 3 beef steaks, and unlimited vegetables.

Day 7: Cabbage soup, up to 2 cups of brown rice, unsweetened fruit juices, and unlimited vegetables.

Okay, really…. ????!!!! I am not even going to comment on this program but the point is, there are so many ways you can go for that quick fix but they are not building LONG TERMS SUCCESS. Your goal is to build that foundation of lifelong habits, physically, mentally and emotionally! Having a realistic long term goal, allows you to make the necessary changes and take the necessary steps to build up your foundation and then anything laid upon that foundation is holding steady!
Imagine you build a house without a foundation. It may be the prettiest house in the world and you could have spent so much money on all the finest bells and whistles but guess what there is NO foundation and without that foundation, it could be a simple shake of the earth and that beautiful house is falling to the ground! Now, if you spend a little bit of extra time, building the foundation and slowly laying brick by brick, it may take a little bit longer to obtain the house of your dreams but guess what, once you get there and have the completed project, it is yours forever! From there, it is minor design tweaks and changes but your foundation is built and it was so worth the wait!!!

Imagine your success on this journey in a similar way, we are laying our bricks, each day and all these bricks we are creating our masterpiece that is going to hold

Think about it, do you want the breathtaking house without the foundation within the next few weeks or are you willing to invest into that house, even if it takes you a year to build it? The choice is yours!!!

Here we are building a foundation and offering the tools to allow you to lie one brick at a time and build upon your solid efforts towards lifelong goals! Living the lifestyle ladies, one day at a time…

Have an amazing Friday!
xo

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Fed to be Wed…In 50 Days

Jul 30 2009
Posted on July 30, 2009 by Your Host, Gina

Your wedding day is one of the most memorable days of your life. A day you want to feel and look your best. If you are looking for the perfect “diet” to help you obtain that wedding body you have always dreamed of, let me help! The planning of a wedding is already so stressful, why not find that perfect plan you don’t have to stress about? "Fed To Be Wed… in 50 Days" includes tips for success, a meal plan, a workout plan, a list of good food and foods to avoid, and a basic nutrition chart, all in a motivational and easy to follow structure. If you follow the tips and recommendations, you can expect to feel more than marital bliss on your wedding day –you will feel healthy, trim, and sexy too!

Download now!

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