How to indulge without ruining your diet

An occasional indulgence isn’t really cheating – especially if you’ve planned for it.

Cheating – on your taxes, on a test, on your partner – is just plain wrong.  And chances are, even if you were to consider cheating, you probably wouldn’t ask for permission from your accountant or your teacher…or your mate.  So why are people always asking me if it’s “okay to cheat” on their diet?  Does it feel “good” to be “bad”? Do they want to place the blame on my shoulders if their cheating doesn’t lead to weight loss?  Or are they simply saying, “I just can’t be this strict with myself every single day – I need a break!”

Let me start by saying that – at least when it comes to dieting -  I don’t like to use the word ‘”cheat”.  And here’s why.  Most of us don’t cheat on our taxes, on tests or on our partners – because we know it’s wrong.  And so, if we did cheat, we’d feel really bad about it.  Following the same logic, if you “cheat” on your diet, it must be wrong – and you’re going to feel bad for having done it.  So let’s just dispense with the word “cheat” right off the bat.
Cheat or treat?
Since “cheat” sounds so negative, let’s call it something more positive instead – I think “treat” sounds a lot better.  There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself once in a while, especially if you’ve banked some calories in advance for your indulgence.  If you’ve saved up some calories all week so you have a few extra to spend on the weekend, is that “cheating”? Sounds more like  “good planning” to me.
Why do you feel the need to cheat?
Before you start planning, you might want to think about why you feel the need to “cheat” in the first place.  Are you being too strict with your eating and cutting back too far? Are your regular meals not satisfying or enjoyable? Are “cheating” and “being bad” your reward for being good all week?  One way to stifle the need to stray from your eating plan is to get to the root of the problem.
Trying to adhere to an overly strict diet is probably one of the most common triggers for “cheating”.  Maybe you manage to hold things together pretty well all week, so you figure you deserve to cut loose and enjoy yourself on the weekend.
But if you’re eating yourself into a stupor every weekend because you “deserve it”, not only are you likely to undo any progress you made during the week, you’re also rewarding your good behavior with high caloriefood.  Over time, you associate your healthy weekday foods with penalty, and your high calorie weekend indulgences with reward – which isn’t likely to foster lifelong healthy eating habits.
The other problem is that if you haven’t figured out the number of extra calories you can safely spend on the weekend, it’s too easy to tell yourself that you’ve been “so good” all week that you can’t possibly overdo it. Trust me – you can.
Planning your pleasure
So there’s a fine line to making this work, and it all depends on proper planning – which involves banking some calories and spending them wisely.
I’m more inclined to advise people to limit their “treat” to one meal rather than taking the whole day off.  There’s a big difference between eating something special that isn’t on your usual meal plan and taking theentire day off to eat whatever you want.  For some people, a whole day without dietary restrictions can be like a train without brakes – and can cause nearly as much damage.
But planning ahead for a “treat meal” is a lot easier to control.  First, consider your allotted calorie intake for the whole week.  Then, determine how many calories you can set aside each day to accumulate what you’ll need to spend on your splurge.  It also helps to be as specific as you can when you plan when, where and how you’re going to spend your calories.  Telling yourself, “I’ve been good all week so I can have a nice steak dinner” may not work as well as, “I’m saving up 400 calories this week because I’m going to Rosie’s Restaurant on Saturday night and they make the best apple pie.”
Treating Isn’t cheating
If you feel that your “cheating” is the result of a too-strict diet, consider this.  Those who naturally maintain their weight manage to have treats from time to time.  It’s part of life – and an important skill to learn.  Eating perfectly all the time probably isn’t reasonable.  But if you eat three regular meals a day and have a “treat” meal once a week, you’re being “good” for 20 meals out of 21 – which is 95% of the time.  And when you’ve planned and saved for your splurge, you can enjoy it guilt-free.  So make it special – put it on a plate, eat it slowly, savor it and enjoy it.  You earned it.
Written by Susan Bowerman

Push Back! Your go-to guide to not eating when you're not hungry

Everywhere you go, it seems, there’s pressure to eat.  Here’s how to push back.

For most of us, the last thing we need is the pressure to eat more.  But it happens all the time.  A few years back, one of the fast food chains in the US began a push to add a whole extra meal to your day –  “the meal between dinner and breakfast”.  I do understand the desire for an occasional midnight snack – sometimes you eat dinner early, you stay up late and you get hungry. But once that midnight snack morphs into “the fourth meal”, it starts to sound more like an everyday need – which just makes it easier to justify why we cave into the pressure to eat it.

This pressure to eat faces us everywhere we go, and it seems as if we’ve come to expect it – and accept it, too. I’m no longer surprised when I see free donuts at the dry cleaners, or a plate of cookies at the bank.  When I go to a restaurant, I expect that the server will offer to “start me off” with some deep-fried something or other, or ask me if I’ve “saved room for dessert”.  You’ve probably experienced the occasional pressure to eat from friends, family or co-workers.  Even when you shop for groceries, there’s pressure to buy more (“buy two, get one free!”), which just means more food in the house – and increased pressure to eat it.
With this constant pressure to eat, it means that we have to spend a lot of time trying to stop ourselves from giving in.  And that isn’t easy to do, since it’s almost expected that we should be eating more, not less. (When was the last time a server in a restaurant tried to discourage you from ordering appetizers or dessert?)
But you can push back.  Here’s how.
Push back when there’s food where you least expect it.
Like the donuts at the dry cleaners or cookies at the bank, you can probably think of dozens of unlikely places where you’ve encountered food.  This situation is probably the easiest one to deal with, since you really weren’t expecting the food to be there in the first place.  Ask yourself:  “am I hungry?”,  “is this something I want?” and “would I walk across the street right now to get this?”  Pay attention to your answers, which are most likely some combination of “no”, “not really” and “probably not”.

Push back when you’re grocery shopping.

Grocery shopping is a minefield of temptations – there are literally thousands of items there to entice you.  This is why making a list – and doing your darnedest to stick to it – is so important, since it will curb your impulse buying.  When you’re faced with ‘value pricing’ – which encourages you to buy more than you need – consider how you’ll deal with the extra.  If it can be stored out of sight, or repackaged into smaller containers, that’s fine.  But if having more around means you’re likely to eat more, that’s a bargain you don’t need.
Push back when restaurants offer you more than you want.
Just like value pricing at the supermarket, restaurants like to offer you value, too.  Free bread or chips doesn’t cost them much, but the cost to you could be a few extra inches on your belly and hips. Instead of those “deep fried something or others” as a starter, just ask for some water with lemon to sip on while you look over the menu.  Turn down the offer of an extra ‘side’ for just pennies more – unless it’s an extra side of veggies.  And when the dessert menu comes around, don’t even open it.  If others at your table are indulging, have order some coffee or tea to sip on while they eat.
Push back when family, friends or coworkers put the pressure on.
You’d think it would be easy to be straightforward with the ones you know best, but eating with those you’re close to is often emotionally charged.  There’s the family member who prepared something nice and high calorie “just for you” – and, since you don’t want to offend them, you feel pressured to eat it.  If you just can’t bring yourself to say no, then ask for a small piece and take just a bite or two…because if you finish it, there’s a good chance you’ll be offered another helping, and you’ll just have to start the process all over again.  And when you’re out with friends or coworkers and you feel the pressure to have something “just this once” or because “everyone else is having some” keep this in mind – being sociable doesn’t require that you have a drink in one hand and an tempting morsel in the other.

Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD

Cardiac Authority on Herbalife Advisory Board

As an Herbalife Independent Distributor it is reassuring to know that one of the world’s brightest minds help develop our products. In 1998, Dr. Louis Ignarro won the Nobel Prize for Medicine for his research discoveries showing the powerful ability of nitric oxide (or NO) to improve cardiovascular health and prevent heart disease. His ground-breaking work established Dr. Ignarro as perhaps the world’s leading authority on the nutritional approach to cardiac wellness.

 

 

Lou Ingarro, Ph.D. Member of the editorial and nutrition advisory boards of the Herbalife Nutrition Institution.

February is Heart Health Awareness Month

February is Heart Health Awareness Month. Take your cardiovascular health to heart and let Herbalife help you protect and improve your body with cellular nutrition! February is Heart Health Month! Our goal for the next 28 days is to get the word out and make sure that everyone, especially women, understand the important facts about heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, 43 million women in the U. S. are currently affected by heart disease, and one in the three women will die from it. That's ONE IN THREE of our mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, and wives. In order to see changes in these statistics, we all need to be educated. Here are a few ways that you can help to prevent heart disease: If you smoke, QUIT TODAY! Quitting smoking quickly reduces your risk for coronary artery disease (CAD). Within five to 10 years of quitting, your risk of heart attack declines to a level similar to that of people who never smoked, regardless of how long you smoked. Move! Staying active is very important. You don't have to be a "gym rat" to keep your heart pumping. Sedentary people who begin a regular program of exercise reduce their risk of a heart attack by 35 to 55 percent. Low-intensity activities, such as gardening or walking, if done regularly and over the long term, can decrease the risk of heart attack. Maintain a healthy weight. As you put on weight in adulthood (and most of us do), your weight gain is mostly fat rather than muscle. This excess weight can lead to conditions that increase your chances of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Size does matter! Get regular health screenings. High blood pressure and high cholesterol can damage your heart and blood vessels. But without testing for them, you probably won't know whether you have these conditions. Regular screening can tell you what your numbers are and whether you need to take action. Eat fish. People who eat fish regularly are less likely to have heart disease, mainly due to the Omega-3 fatty acids that it contains. And if you don't care for fish, you should strongly consider DHA/Omega 3- supplements. What are you doing to prevent heart disease? Niteworks Orange-Mango It's Going to Win Your Heart! Take your cardiovascular health to heart and try the new Niteworks Orange-Mango. This dietary supplement is a refreshing powder mix that helps you create more life-supporting Nitric Oxide during the night, when Nitric Oxide levels are naturally lowest.                      Heart Smart Choc Berry Shake Ingredients: 1 scoop Dutch Chocolate Formula 1 1 scoop Wild Berry Formula 1 1 cup nonfat milk or water 5-6 ice cubes Directions:Place all ingredients in the blender and mix thoroughly until the ice cubes are completely crushed.    Niteworks®     This refreshing nighttime powder mix supports energy, circulatory and vascular health, and helps with Nitric Oxide (NO) production at night when NO levels are lowest. Herbalifeline®     Herbalifeline's Omega-3 fatty acids help to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system by maintaining cholesterol and triglyceride levels already within normal range. Core Complex with CoQ10 Plus®     Convenient daily packettes contain 6 softgels, including Herbalifeline®, Tri-Shield® and CoQ10 Plus supports healthy heart & blood vessel function, and maintains healthy homocysteine levels already within a normal range.

Order today http://valparaiso.herbalhub.com

How to be Heart Healthy

The story around diet and heart health has been around long enough that you probably know the drill pretty well.  Watch your weight, keep your total fats and saturated fats down, and don’t be too heavy-handed with the salt shaker.  Sprinkle in some soluble fiber – from foods like beans and oatmeal – and you’ve got a pretty good dietary strategy.

All good advice, to be sure.  After all, a high-fat diet can put weight on you, saturated fats can bump up your blood cholesterol levels, and too much salt can drive up blood pressure – all of which can increase your risk for heart disease.  But there are a couple of other pieces to the heart health puzzle that are getting more attention these days – a fatty acid “balancing act”, and a little molecule called nitric oxide.

Make sure you find the right fatty-acid balance

Many years ago, the memo on dietary fats was pretty short: saturated fats were the bad guys, and polyunsaturated fats were the good guys.  But the story has gotten a lot more complex, due to growing concern that our balance of two kinds of polyunsaturated fats – the omega-3 fats and the omega-6 fats – is way out of whack.  And, it appears that this imbalance is affecting our health.
It isn’t simply that omega-3 fatty acids are the good guys, and that omega-6 fats are the bad guys.   Neither of these fats is inherently “bad”.  In fact, they’re called “essential” fatty acids – which means that we need to eat them, because our body can’t make them.  In small amounts (and in the proper balance), these essential fatty acids serve important functions in the body such as supporting growth, vision and brain function, and healthy circulation.
The trouble is that we generally eat far too much of the omega-6 fatty acids and not enough omega-3.  And while we need them both, if we don’t take them in the right balance, it can affect our health. Our modern-day diet is overloaded with omega-6 laden foods like chips, salad dressings and sweets.  At the same time, we come up short when it comes to eating foods like fish, vegetables, walnuts and flaxseeds that supply omega-3s. Two omega-3 fatty acids in particular – called EPA and DHA – are abundant in fish, and help to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system, but many people don’t eat the recommended minimum of two fish meals per week.
The good news is that you can shift your ratio of these fatty acids in your diet.  One of the healthiest practices is to try to have several fish meals a week to providehealthy EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids.  Fresh fish is great, but canned fish is easy and convenient, too.  If you’re not a fish lover, you can supplement with fish oil capsules that provide omega-3 fatty acids.
Let’s talk about nitrates and nitric oxide
Nitric oxide – produced in cells lining the surface of the blood vessels – is a gas that dilates arteries, which in turn aids blood flow and reduces blood pressure.  It’s also a strong antioxidant, working to relieve oxidative stress in the body and reduce the threat of heart disease.
Nitric oxide is produced by the body from oxygen, along with arginine – an amino acid found in abundance in protein-rich foods like nuts, beans and seafood. But there’s also another source – our bodies can manufacture nitric oxide from the nitrates in the foods that we eat.
You may only know nitrates and nitrites as an additive to cured meats like ham – they’re put there primarily to preserve freshness, color and flavor.  But in fact, very little of the nitrate we eat comes from cured meats.
It turns out that the majority of the nitrate we consume comes from vegetables and fruits, the richest sources being spinach, lettuce, celery, cauliflower, grapes, strawberries and root vegetables. Fruits and vegetables have always been known as nutritional powerhouses – they’re loaded with antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and minerals, and they provide vitamin C, which enhances the generation of nitric oxide in the body.  But the fact that they’re also nitrate-rich gives us yet another reason to eat plenty of them.
Foods to choose for a healthy heart
The foundations of a heart-healthy diet are pretty simple – it’s what you already know as a healthy, well-balanced diet.

• Eat more fruits, veggies, whole grains and beans as they deliver vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.
• Enjoy the healthy low-fat proteins you eat as they’ll keep your total fat and saturated fat intake in check.
• Keep your total fat intake low – ideally, you want to eat only the amount that you need to add flavor to foods. And when you do eat fats, you’ll want to focus on the healthy ones that are provided by foods like fish, nuts, avocado and olive oil.
• Since it’s such a rich source of omega-3 fats; seafood should be on your menu as often as possible.
• While you’re trying to increase your omega-3s you should also focus on reducing your omega-6s by cutting back on fatty foods altogether. Choose nonfat or lowfat dairy products, poultry breast, lean cuts of red meat, and plant protein sources such as beans, lentils and tofu.
• Limit your added fats, too, by trimming dressings, spreads, sauces and fried foods from your diet whenever you can.
• When it comes to carbohydrates, try to steer clear of processed starchy foods, and instead fill your plate with foods rich in soluble fiber – beans, sweet potatoes, berries, plums, broccoli and carrots – which help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels.   At the same time, you get an added bonus, since fruits and vegetables serve up plenty of natural heart-healthy nitrates, too.

Written by Susan Bowerman

Correct stretching: how to find balance with flexibility training

Let’s talk about the dos and don’ts of stretching.  Flexibility is one of the key factors of any good fitness routine. Yet,  many exercisers often misunderstand some key aspects related to correct stretching. 

How to stretch, when to stretch and how long to hold stretches are just a few of the questions that people ask on a regular basis. 

Some people are born to be more flexible than others.  The good news is that whatever level of flexibility you’re born with, correct stretching will help you improve. 

Why is stretching correctly important?

1.      Stretching helps you maximize your body’s ability to move freely.

In simple terms that means stretching helps you get out of your own way internally so your body can perform at its best. Tight soft tissue can restrict joint movements and hinder important tendons from effectively doing their job.

2.      Stretching helps you avoid injury.

Training with tight muscles can lead to serious injury and muscle tears. With these two reasons in mind, you should never skimp on stretching before and after exercise.

How much stretching is enough?

“Fitness is not a one size fits all situation and, because flexibility is a factor of fitness, you must determine what is right for your own body” You should navigate your own personal stretching needs and keep these dos and don’ts in mind.

Correct stretching dos and don’ts

 Do:

• Spend time doing dynamic stretches before exercising.
• Dynamic stretching involves gentle movements to increase your range of movement. It improves blood and oxygen flow to soft tissues prior to exertion and also prepares receptors within the muscle to perform.
• Prepare your body with fluid flowing movements such as arm circles, leg swings and gentle bending.

Don’t:

• Use jerky bouncing or forced movements to increase your range of motion as this can cause injury.
• This ballistic stretching forces your muscles into an extended range of motion and the risks are not worth the rewards.

Do:

• Dedicate at least 10 minutes after a workout to loosen tight muscles with static stretches that you hold for approximately 30 seconds.

• Stretch to the point of slight discomfort then back off a little and hold. This type of stretching can improve your overall flexibility and may decrease the amount of muscle soreness you experience after exercising.

Don’t:

• Stretch to the point of pain or severe discomfort. You shouldn’t ever hurt your body though exercise and too much flexibility is not good for your body.
• Your joints rely on muscle tension to hold them in the correct position so, if you overstretch or push your body past what is comfortable, you can increase the likelihood of joint and tendon problems.

Find your own perfect flexibility balance

There is an art to finding your body’s balance and the only way to do it is to be aware and conscious of your movements. It’s simple advice but make sure you exercise commonsense at all times when exercising! If you listen to your body the chances are that you will achieve results faster and you’ll avoid causing yourself injury.  Part of this commonsense approach to exercising is listening to your body: if you feel any pain or discomfort then stop.

If you take an exercise class show up a few minutes early to a class and do your own dynamic stretch routine before the class starts and if you need to, stay a little later after class to complete your warm-down. If you are rushed for time then don’t rush your stretching: try to make your main workout more effective instead by using combination exercises.

Your body is exactly that it’s ‘your body’.  Take responsibility for caring for it correctly and never just copy someone else’s routine.  Instead educate yourself and find what works for you. Start at the top of your body, gently working your way down and addressing all major muscle groups.  Stretching and movement is natural, so relax and do what feels right.

Written by Samantha Clayton.

Why You Need to Make Time for Yoga

Let’s talk about yoga. Do you think it’s a calming and low impact form of exercise? While it can be, yoga also offers challenges that are suitable for exercise newbies and professional athletes alike.

Although mastering the form and spending time showing off a perfect yoga pose on an empty beach or atop a scenic mountain looks good, yoga is about building strength.  Most people view yoga as simply gentle stretching in peaceful surroundings. Pretty much something you would do on your rest day from what some consider to be "real exercise". 

There are many disciplines of yoga, all with unique benefits and challenges

Finding the right yoga style for you

Yoga makes you strong in ways beyond the physical.

If you have a busy mind, always thinking about your next task, maybe you need yoga to help you develop mental strength too. Do you want to get a strong and flexible body? Or, do you need to spend time following a set and flowing routine to help you develop some co-ordination? Whatever your needs or fitness goals

Hatha Yoga

Hatha yoga is a style that truly encourages the mind-body connection, it is a very traditional practice focused on truly controlling the breath and calming the mind through meditation. This style of yoga practice is great for slow, controlled and focused movements . This style is great for anyone new to exercise because a lot of emphasis is placed on being in perfect alignment.

Ashtanga Yoga

There are many variations of this dynamic style of yoga, but traditional ashtanga yoga it is based on a set of flowing movements. Each movement is directly connected to your breath, one movement on your inhale and the next movement on your exhale. If you like to follow a set routine without much variation this style of yoga is for you. No matter which studio you go to, the flow will be the same making it a perfect choice for people who travel and love keep some consistency in their routine.
Once you have the basic movements mastered, the breathing can truly become the focus of your practice. Ashtanga yoga is calming and stress relieving and  provides participants with a true physical challenge that will strengthen your muscles and help you to stay focused.

Bikram or Hot Yoga

Bikram yoga is a mind-body-physical challenge like no other. This style is based very closely on the traditional ashtanga flow yoga but with an added element of difficulty; the room is kept at a temperature of about 100-105 degrees. The heat makes you sweat profusely and creates an environment that is believed to help the body de-toxify and also to improve your ability to stretch further with each pose.

Bikram yoga can help you to get strong toned sexy arms, flat lean abs and killer leg definition because the flow of movements in the heat challenges your entire body. Many studios use great music to help keep you motivated but let me warn you that this practice is not those people new to exercise.

There are dangers associated with working out in the heat so use caution and be aware of the dangers before you take a class. A typical class lasts for about 75 minutes.

Allow yoga to make you strong

 Discover for yourself that yoga is not just for relaxing on your off day from running or going to the gym. Yoga can give you a challenging workout that will build your strength in ways you never imagined.

Written by Samantha Clayton.

Your must-have guide to smart ordering in restaurants

Keep a few smart ordering ideas in mind when you’re eating out and you’ll stay in control of your calories, your appetite and your waistline! 

Here are some ‘little things’ you can do every time you eat out – and rack up plenty of calorie savings in the process.

Smart ordering tip 1 – spoil your dinner

One frequent problem with restaurant dining is that it takes time to get seated, look over the menu and place your order –  and by the time your meal arrives you’re starving.  That’s why many restaurants pop down a basket of bread and butter or some tortilla chips and salsa to tide you over.  So, spoil your dinner a little bit – have a piece of fruit, a few bites of cottage cheese or yogurt or a small handful of nuts before you go – and turn down the bread and the chips which can add hundreds of calories to your meal before you’ve dug into your first course.
Calories you could save: 150 (1 slice bread + butter) to 500 (basket of chips)
Smart ordering tip 2 – the water’s fine
Cocktails, wine, soda, and sweet beverages like lemonade don’t fill you up, but they can sure fill you out.  And, in the case of soda, free refills are often the norm in America – and that could mean hundreds of extra calories.  Instead, ask for unsweetened iced tea, plain water or mineral water with a slice of lemon.
Calories you could save: 100 (glass of wine) to 400 (large soda + 1 refill)
Smart ordering tip 3 – skinny dip
Starting your meal with a salad is a great habit to get into – as long as the salad isn’t loaded down with fatty ingredients and heavy dressing.  Opt for plenty of greens with an oil and vinegar dressing – served on the side – and ‘do the dip’.  Dip your fork in the dressing, then pick up some greens with your fork.  You’ll get a little taste of dressing with each bite, but you’ll use far less.
Calories you could save: 200+ (75 calories per tablespoon – most restaurants add about 4 tablespoons of dressing to the typical dinner salad)
Smart ordering tip 4 - go fish

Many people I talk to know they should eat more fish, but they don’t cook it at home – either because they don’t know how to cook it properly, or they say it makes the house stink….two good reasons why it’s a good choice when you go out.  There’s another good reason, too.  As long as it’s grilled and broiled – rather than deep fried – fish has a lot fewer calories than an equivalent serving of red meat.

Calories you could save: 200 (4 ounces grilled fish vs. 4 ounces broiled steak)
Smart ordering tip 5 – take the first crack
If you’re dining with a group, try to order before everyone else does.  If you’ve planned ahead, and have a pretty good idea of what you want to eat, it’s a lot easier to stick with your agenda if you place your order first -  before you get swayed by everyone else’s choices.  When dessert time rolls around, you can ask for fresh fruit or coffee before you even peek at the menu – and before everyone else orders pastry.
Calories you could save: 300 (piece of layer cake) to 1000 (piece of cheesecake)
Smart ordering tip 6 – do the splits
It’s been said before, but it’s worth repeating – restaurant portions can be huge. Split an entrée with a dining companion and order an extra side of veggies, or have your leftovers packed up as soon as you’ve eaten your portion.  Those in the restaurant business know that customers want value – in other words, they want big portions at a reasonable price.  And since it costs the restaurant much less to buy the food than it does to cook and serve it to you, most places are more than happy to super-size portions.  They may be able to afford to “pile it on” – but can you?
Calories you could save: Hundreds.  Restaurant entrees can easily run 800-1000 calories.  

Written by Susan Bowerman