Eating smarter… whether you want to lose weight or eat healthy, the mind is going to have to be trained to think before you eat. I think many people just eat in cruise control without any thought of what might be the smarter choice.

I know I do… those Chili’s chips and salsa from are gone in 2 seconds if I don’t take my mind off cruise control.

Eating smarter is about making wise eating choices and being intentional whenever one eats. Think before you eat! You might just start talking away from that Red Velvet cake that you will regret in a few hours.

One great way to do this is through substitution. Save 100-300 calories by swapping out your favorite foods for these great options… and they aren’t just carrots!

I found this great chart from Sparkpeople that has helped in substituting those calorie-loaded foods for a healthier option.

Other great calorie substitutions include egg beaters or egg whites instead of whole eggs, thinwiches instead of hamburger buns, parmesan cheese instead of grated cheese, fiber one cereal instead of granola

… and the list can go on!

What are some of your favorite calorie substitutions?

Thanks for all the wonderful birthday wishes!

I had such a great birthday weekend back home in California. I’m usually running around all over the place trying to see everyone when I go home, but this trip I decided to dedicate to my family. And what a great decision it ended up being!!! My husband and brother were both gone at a 4-day conference so it was so nice to have my parents all to myself.

Here are a few pictures from the weekend… my camera battery died so I didn’t get many pictures.

My friend made me a beautiful dolphin birthday cake!

Birthday-night out with the rents

Birthday Dinner at Woodward Ranch BBQ

My husband definitely knows me! For my birthday he got me The Wave by The FIRM. I had never seen or heard about The Wave workout, so I was very interested to see how it worked. I love all of The Firm workout DVDs so I had high hopes for this one. It came with a board, 3 DVDs, and a success guide with nutrition tips.

The workout kind of feels like step aerobics with a twist. The arched board can be used as astep or can be flipped over as a rocker. And let me tell you, the rocker works the whole body trying to balance on it.

I love this workout! I would say that I am more of a cardio girl … I hate lifting weights. This workout involves lifting weights, but it didn’t really phase me because I was moving so much while lifting. The time definitely goes by way too fast and my whole body feels it by the end of the workout. The only down fall- I’m so clumsy that one day I know that I am going to trip or fall off the board. When that day comes I will be sure to let you know.

To see the WAVE in Action, check out this short video clip-

Have you seen or tried The Wave workout?

What are some of your favorite workout DVDs?

Don’t forget to head over HERE for a chance to win the Turbo Jam Workout DVDs! Turbo Jam workouts are just as fun as The Wave!

My parents surprised me with a ticket to fly home this weekend for my birthday! I still can’t believe that I’m going to be 25 tomorrow. That’s a whole quart of a century. . . Man I’m old!

It’s been a great weekend having my parents to myself. Brother and husband and busy at a conference so I’ve been loving all the one on one time with my mom, dad, and of course my dog Wicket! Tons of window shopping, Coffee bean and Tea Leaf, and you can’t forget Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt… Just like the good ole days prior to getting married and moving off to Arizona.

Yesterday my mom and I had a lunch date at The Cheesecake Factory. For one who is very indecisive, this was the wrong place to pick. My goodness, the menu is like a book! You can find anything and everything ranging from Chinese to Mexican and American food. . . OH, and not to mention the 25 different types of cheesecake!

It’s great to have a variety, but the poor waitress has to come around several times before I could finally say “I am ready to order.” I decided on an egg white veggie omelet and my mom choose my all time favorite, the Navajo Sandwich.

Ok, I thought the menus were big… the portion sizes at The Cheesecake Factory are over the top! You definitely get your money’s worth with these portion sizes.  It’s places like these where a to-go box is a must a great meal for the next day! Needless to say, it was a great lunch and time well spend with my lovely mother!

I though in light of the over-sized portions I would share with how America as a whole has increased portions. Here is a comparison of portion differences since the 1960’s and now:

The crazy thing is that we aren’t just seeing it in restaurants, we are seeing it at home. Everything in your kitchen- from the size of your plates to the way food is packaged has you hearing “eat more, eat more!”

Portion control is very important, but one thing that I am learning is to pay attention to my body and listening to it when I am either full or hungry. It’s quiet the skill to master but once you do, those enormous proportions won’t even be an issue!

Oh water… can’t live with it, can’t live without.

If any of you are like me, you choose flavored beverages over water anytime of the day. I must admit, Diet coke is my guilty pleasure and it gets in the way of my 8 cups of water a day, leaving me dehydrated and feeling sluggish. I know, I know… Diet Coke is horrible to drink and I shouldn’t be drinking it. I am working on it people… ok, maybe not as much as I should. I guess this post is more for me than it is for you guys!

Water works in so many different ways throughout our body. Just look at how water affects out body

There are so many benefits to drinking water besides the obvious of staying hydrated! Drinking at least 8 cups of water a day aids in weight loss, moisturizes skin to make it look younger, relieves headaches, fuels to brain to function better, aids in energy to exercise longer, prevents cramping and sprains, and helps fight against the flu.

So with this in mind, how can we get more water in throughout the day?

Here are 7 great tips to get in more water:

1.)  Buy a fun water bottle and NEVER let it leave your side

1. Rule: Only fill up with water

2.)   Drink one glass of water prior to every meal

3.)  Spice up your water with a slice of lemon or lime.

1. My friend taught me to slice up cucumbers and throw them into a pitcher full of water the night before. The water soaks up the flavor of the cucumbers to give a nice taste. You can do this is all sorts of fruits!

4.)  Straws… They work wonders

1. Who would have known that straws help in drinking water? I find myself drinking so much more when I drink from a straw.

5.)  Drink and Drive… water that is

1. Ok, this is the only time on my blog that I will ever encourage you to drink and drive. Keep your car cup holder full with your fun water bottle and make it a priority to drink your water while on the road.

6.)  Add your vitamins

1. Kill two birds with one stone by getting in your vitamins and water at the same time.  There are several different vitamin supplements made to be mixed with water

7.)  Filter your water

1. I don’t know where you live, but Arizona has the worst tasting water in the world. Brita Filters have saved my life ever since I moved out here. They aren’t too expensive either. Speaking of filtered water… Starbucks has the best water ever! From what I hear it’s triple filtered

Find what works for you. Hopefully some of these tips will help you cross the finish line of 8 cups by the end of the day.

Cheers and drink up!

Question: How do you fit in your 8 cups of water a day?

Weight can easily become an obsession.

Living a healthy life and losing weight is something that takes time and energy as you count calories, plan out healthy meals, and exercise daily . . . and that is ok. But what most people don’t realize is that losing weight to live a healthy life can soon be tossed out the window and the numbers on the scale can start to define you.

It amazes me how a scale can dictate the mood someone is in or consume the mind day in and day out. The scale starts to define one for who you are… one day they are thin and beautiful because they lose a few pounds. The next day you are fat and ugly because you went up 1 pound.

A piece of metal has so much power and control in one’s life… Don’t let the scale define you!

I challenge you to copy this picture for one week and seek out what defines your life. Living a health life is so much more than numbers… it’s about feeling great, living longer, being able to run around with your children or grandchildren, or gaining confidence in your self.

What defines you?

Jillian Michaels is probably the most intimidating person on the Biggest Loser. Personally, she scares me! But I guess fear can be used to stay on the treadmill or walk away from those Oreos. However, her drive, determination, and wisdom has changed the lives of people all over the world.

I received the Jillian Michaels- 30-Day Shred for christmas. I have heard so many different reviews that I thought it was about time that I try it out for myself. Jillian Michaels can be tough, but at least she has proven herself to know what she is doing.

I will give a low down for those of you out there that have never tried Jillian Michael’s workout video. The 30-day Shred is broken down into 3 different levels of 20 minutes each. Each level contains 3 rotations of cardio, lifting, and abs. The only down fall is that it can get monotonous after doing the same routine for 30 days.

The time goes by so fast while working out with Jillian Michaels and your body will be sweating and shaking by the end. I could barely get out of bed the next morning after completing Day 1 of the 30 day Shred. It might sound sickening, but there is nothing better than the feeling of your entire body aching after a good workout!

I’m sure many of you have tried Jillian Michaels 30 day shred! What are your thoughts on the workout?

Diving is a mental sport. As a springboard diver in college, I use to freak myself out on the boards because I would think too much into my dive… the fear of hitting the board, loosing my balance, or hitting the water at the wrong angle. A teammate of mine once said, “ Don’t think, just do.” This motto helped me push through those mental blocks and eventually led me to nationals.

These days I still look to this motto. There are days that I wake up and dread the cold, the aching muscles from the workout the day before, or just no motivation to get out of bed to workout. The holidays don’t make it any easier for those that have taken a break. It’s hard to get back into the swing of things.

I have found that the motto, “Don’t think, just do,” has helped me overcome these days. When it comes to exercise, “don’t think, just do it.” Wake up in the morning and head straight to those shoes… don’t think about the cold, how tired you are, or what needs to get done that morning. You won’t regret it!

What exercise motto do you live by?

I thought this was an interesting clip from NBC on Diet myths, which is the series that I had started a while a go.

Hope you enjoy!

Question: What Diet Myth do you struggle letting go?

Diet rules and tips are everywhere you turn. Checking out at the grocery store, television commercials, and billiards all think they have the best diet rule to lose the most inches in the shortest amount of time. There is the no-carb diet, the fat-free diet, the liquid diet and more, yet americans are continuing to expand their waste lines. It’s very important for us to take each diet tip or diet rule as a grain of salt and really explore these tips before jumping head first into them.

These next few posts are going to be aimed at diet rules that should be broken.

Diet Rule #1: Don’t ever eat after 7pm

7pm is the magical number. Stop eating after 7pm and you will melt away the fat in no time

. . . FALSE!

Late night eating is a problem that most people face. In fact, a lot of people will double their daily caloric intake during the evening. So, eating late at night is something to be cautious. But 7pm is not a magical number. Research says that one should avoid eating 2-3 hours before bed time. 7pm is the magical number because the typical bedtime is around 10pm. But why? Well research has not proven that avoiding late night snacks will prevent weight gain. This 2-3 hour rule is strictly for personal comfort. Going to bed on a full stomach can cause indigestion, gas, and an upset stomach.

So, can you eat after 7pm? Sure. . . if you have self control.

Most temptations succeed in the evenings when one is exhausted or no one is looking. To prevent a binge fest, create a short list of health snacks to have late at night. Some healthy late night snacks might include air popped popcorn, carrots and celery, a piece of fruit, 60-calorie pudding cup with cool whip, yogurt, or a 1/2 cup of ice cream. Being prepared ahead of time will prevent overeating late at night.

Question: What is your favorite late night snack?

Currently mine is Special K crackers… I’m addicted

… I think I am killing myself.

I drink and eat aspartame like it’s water. My sweet tooth just can’t get enough of this stuff and sugar has never cut it for me.

Aspartame is defined as “an artificial sweetener made from aspartic acid; used as a calorie-free sweetener.” In 1976 FDA approved aspartame in the use of foods, and later discovered that the researcher who submitted the work, “had cut out tumors in animals that had been fed aspartame and neglected to report all of them or check for cancer. Also, animals that were “reported as dead, were later reported alive again” In fact, I have discovered that people can get aspartame toxicity from this deadly chemical… not just from several cans of diet coke. Reports have shown that people have gotten aspartame toxicity through one single piece of sugar-free gum.

Symptoms include:

Eyes

- Blindness in one or both eyes decreases vision and other eye problems such as blurred vision, bright flashes, squiggly lines, tunnel vision, decreased night vision, pain in one or both eyes, decreased tears, trouble with contact lenses, and bulging eyes.

Ears

- Tinnitus: ringing or buzzing in ears, severe intolerance to noice, marked hearing impairment.

Neurological

- Epileptic seizures, headaches, migraines, dizziness, unsteadiness, confusion, memory loss, severe drowsiness, sleepiness paresthesia, numbness in limbs, severe slurring of speech, hyperactivity and restless leg syndrome, and severe tremors.

Psychological/Psychiatric

- Severe depression, irritability, aggression, anxiety, personality changes, chest palpitations, tachycardia, shortness of breath, high blood pressure.

Gastrointestinal

- Nausea, diarrhea, sometimes with blood in stools, abdominal pain

Endocrine and Metabolic

- Loss of control of diabetes, mentrual changes, marked thinning or loss of hair, marked weight loss, gradual weight gain, aggravated low blood sugar, severe PMS.

Ok, so now that I have scared you into never picking up a diet coke for the rest of your life, I am pleased to present to you stevia! Stevia is a natural sweetener found in a herbal plant in South America.

Having up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar, this sweetener is sure to meet your sweet tooth. Careful though, no one warned me about this and I poured in the same amount as that of Splenda. One small pinch of this stuff and you are good to go.

Now for you Diet Coke addicts like me, Zevia is a new calorie free coke made from stevia… Hints the name!

ZEVIA is all-natural, has zero calories, zero net carbs, zero fat, and little or no sodium. Flavors range from Zevia natura coke, Zevia ginger ale, Zevia root beer, Zevia natural twist, Zevia orange, and Zevia black cherry. I have had the pleasure of trying all of these flavors and I must say that I enjoyed all of them, but my favorite is black cherry and orange.

But don’t take my word for it… check out some of these stores to try a few out: Whole Foods Market, Henry’s, Albertsons, or Vitamin City. Check out HERE for a local store near you.

Question

Have you ever tried Stevia? What did you think about it?

What Zevia flavor would you like to try?