YES, I know it’s still technically winter here in the U.S. and we haven’t even started spring yet, but we must have a sense of urgency, darlings—summer is almost here!

This is not a drill. No time to waste. If we are to be our best selves come June 21st or whenever the summer solstice hits, we have to act now. This means cutting down on soda, bread, processed foods; putting more fiber in our diet via fruits and veggies; and moving our bodies. Yes, I do understand we all have 50 million things to do every day, but planning ahead of time will seriously help to curb bad habits. Here’s a few tips for staying on track to prepare ourselves for the coming hot weather:

1. Keep it moving. I started running to everyone’s desk at my day job even if there desk is less than 10 feet away from mine. I also make sure I get up and walk around the office at least once an hour otherwise sitting at a desk all day will make me one lazy Style and Beauty Doctor.

Another great time to keep it moving? You know all those TV marathons many of us love to watch? Instead of sitting in front of the telly with a bag of junk, get up and walk or run in place.

Of course we also want to make sure we get at least 3 days of cardio and strength training per week in addition to that.

2. Drink water. It’s time to ween yourself off the soda and sugary juices. Yes, even the diet ones, too. Once upon a time I used to really hate the taste of water, but forced myself to drink it anyway. Now I can’t stand the taste of soda and most juices!

3. Add in fruits and veggies. Many times when we start a new diet, we try to force ourselves to eat stuff we don’t like and then wind up going back to bad habits. If you’re not used to eating fruits and veggies on a regular, give yourself a taste test with a number of fruits and veggies to see which ones you like best. You can’t get me to eat apples and broccoli, but I will eat grapes and sweet potatoes.

4. Stop making excuses. We all do it “I’m too tired”, “I’ll start on Monday”, “Exercise is too hard”, blah blah blah. Bet we don’t have those excuses when we go to the drive-thru. Take all of the energy you use to make excuses and turn it into an immediate action. You’ll feel sooooo much better.

P.S. Don’t forget to enter the FSL Cosmetics Lipgloss Giveaway! Entries must be in by Thursday, March 11, 2010.

Happy Fitness Friday!

The weekend is finally here—let’s enjoy it but be healthy. Check out this article from WebMD on dreaded “white” foods.

The Truth About White Foods

White foods – essentially, “bad carbs” like sugar and baked goods made with white flour  - have been fingered as a culprit in America’s obesity epidemic. But is it true that you should kiss white foods goodbye if you want to lose weight and eat healthfully?

Avoiding refined carbohydrates came onto the national radar when low-carb diets like Atkins and Sugar Busters became popular.  It didn’t help that a 2004 study showed that people who ate too many refined carbs were at increased risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes.

It is easy to overeat foods like cookies or white-flour pasta – and it’s even easier to drink sweetened beverages.  It’s estimated that Americans drink 22% of our total calories, much of that from beverages sweetened with sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.

The diet truth is that carbohydrates are essential for health and are your body’s preferred form of fuel.  We can’t live without them — but we’d be healthier if we got most of our carbohydrates from “smart carbs” like fruits, vegetables, legumes, low-fat dairy, and whole grains.  The bottom line: White, refined foods can be part of a healthy diet, but moderation is key.

What Is White Food?

White food generally refers to foods that are white in color and that have been processed and refined, like flour, rice, pasta, bread, crackers, cereal, and simple sugars like table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup.

Natural, unprocessed white foods, such as onions, cauliflower, turnips, white beans, and white potatoes don’t fall into the same category.  (Of course, health goes out the window when you deep-fry these or any other vegetables, or slather them with butter, sour cream, or cheese.)

The difference between refined white foods and their healthier counterparts is processing and fiber.  Most white carbs start with flour that has been ground and refined by stripping off the outer layer, where the fiber is located.  Vitamins and/or minerals are frequently added back to enrich the refined product.

‘Bad Carbs’ Are Less Satisfying

In addition to being easy to overeat, refined carbs are less satisfying than “good carbs.” The body absorbs processed grains and simple sugars relatively quickly.  Increased blood sugar triggers a release of insulin, and, in an hour or two after eating, hunger returns.

Further, many refined-carb foods — particularly sweetened beverages like sodas — provide little nutritional value other than calories.

Less-processed “good carbs” are higher in volume and tend to be more filling than refined ones.  And controlling portions — and ultimately, your weight — is easier when you choose foods that are filling.

If you follow the U.S. government’s Dietary Guidelines and make half of your daily grain servings whole grains, this will slow absorption, help meet your fiber needs, and keep you feeling full longer.

But keep in mind that not all whole grains are a good source of fiber.  For example, brown rice is more nutritious than white rice because it contains the whole kernel of rice, but it’s not necessarily a good source of fiber.

22 Teaspoons of Sugar a Day

The white food many of us would find hardest to give up is sugar. On average, Americans eat and drink the equivalent of 22 teaspoons of sugar each day, mostly from soft drinks and candy, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).  That’s as much sugar as in two cans of soda plus a candy bar (roughly 355 calories).  Over time, those extra calories add up, causing weight gain and displacing other important nutrients from the diet.

Sugar, in whatever form, provides few nutrients other than calories.  Some experts think eating sugar helps lead to cravings for more sweets – and, of course, it can lead to cavities. More significantly, the AHA has raised concerns about sugar’s role in obesity, diabetes, and ultimately heart health.

While few of us are willing to give up sugar entirely, if you did, your health certainly wouldn’t suffer — and you’d probably be a little thinner.

So how do you keep from overdoing the white foods or “bad carbs” in your diet?

Use the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels to find out the total carbohydrate, fiber, and sugar content of food products.  Also, read the list of ingredients; look for breads, pasta, and other carbohydrate foods that list whole grains as their first ingredient.

To keep sugar in check, the AHA suggests limiting added sugar to 100 calories a day for women and 150 for men.  And make your sweet calories work for you by choosing foods that also offer some nutritional goodness, like yogurts or whole-grain cereals.

Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, is director of nutrition for WebMD. Her opinions and conclusions are her own.

You use your cell phone to organize your calendar, keep track of emails, snap pics, browse the web, and sometimes to place calls so you might as well use the thing to keep track of your diet and fitness plan, right? Right!

A number of phones have applications you can easily use to look up caloric values, store your workout progress, and browse the net for helpful fitness information. Here’s a few:

1. Your built-in camera. If you have a regular no bells no whistles phone that simply comes with a camera, it can still be of use. Use it to snap pics of everything you eat so you have a quick and easy way to keep a daily food diary.

2. SparkPeople Application for iPhone and iPod Touch. If you own an iPhone or iPod Touch, then you can download SparkPeople’s application, the iPhone Food & Fitness Tracker, to stay on track when you’re on the go!

3. Calorie Count Mobile. If you’re on the go and you want to quickly check the caloric value of your food, log on to Calorie Count Mobile.

4. QuickkaCalories. It’s a food tracking application that lets you monitor your calorie consumption and other nutrient information, then set and track goals for both exercise and weight…all rolled up into one nice n’ easy app. Available for iPhones–check it out here.

5. Livestrong Calorie Tracker. Available for both the iPhone and Blackberry, this $2.99 application is the mobile version of Lance Armstrong and Demand Media’s health and lifestyle Web site. The simple design allows the user to track calories against a recommended daily intake, log fitness activities and chart weight fluctuations. The application syncs with the Web site, where users can participate in community fitness challenges, share the results of their food diaries and learn about health issues. For more information, visit www.livestrong.com.

6. Couch to 5K. As the name suggests, this program is targeted at couch potatoes who want to change their ways. For $1.99, iPhone users can download this nine-week training regimen with the end goal of being able to run 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) without stopping or walking. The application does a bit of digital hand-holding by offering directions via a computerized (male or female) voice and beeps that are timed to help the user transition between warm-up, workout and interval phases. For more information, visit http://felttip.com.

7. MapMyRun. This free application takes advantage of the iPhone’s GPS technology to help runners track their training data, including time, distance and pace. Like the Livestrong application, this mobile program becomes much more comprehensive at the MapMyRun Web site. Here users can share their routes on Facebook, create Google maps of their runs and join online groups. The only downside? Failing to connect to the phone’s server can cause a frustrating delay to starting your run. For more information, visit www.mapmyrun.com.

8. Sensei for Weight Loss. Dieters have to work to keep track of their calorie intake and exercise goals, and this program, which is available for $9.99 on the Blackberry and iPhone, tries to make it easier. It creates meals and shopping lists based on a user’s preferred foods, sends daily motivational reminder e-mails about meals and fitness goals and guides an on-the-go dieter to healthy choices. For more information visit www.sensei.com.

9. iTreadmill. The accelerometer on the iPhone and iTouch allow this application to function like a pedometer, tracking a user’s distance, speed and pace while walking. That also means it can be used anywhere–even in the airport, office or mall. It can be useful for serious athletes who want to keep tabs on their activity on off-days, but it’s also a helpful tool for those who aren’t frequent exercisers and want to gradually improve their fitness. For more information, visit www.itreadmill.net.

10. AllSport GPS. This application is designed for outdoor enthusiasts who want to take advantage of GPS technology. Downloadable for $5.99 a month from most major carriers, the Blackberry- and iPhone-compatible program will track metrics for a number of activities, including running, mountain biking, trail running and skiing. Standard metrics include distance, time, pace and calories. Once the user has completed an activity, the results can be shared with friends, and the route can be uploaded to online mapping programs. For more information visit www.trimbleoutdoors.com.

Source

If you use any other cell phone applications for fitness, be sure to share them in the comments section.

It’s Fitness Friday! Check out this article on losing weight fast from WebMD.

You’ve heard it time and again: fad diets don’t work for permanent weight loss. But what about those times when you really need to lose some weight fast? It’s hard to pass up the promise of crash diets like the Lemonade Diet, Cabbage Soup Diet, or Lose 21 Pounds in 21 Days when your mission is to squeeze into a new outfit in time for a reunion, wedding, or other special event.

So what’s wrong with dropping 20 pounds fast so you can wow your friends and family with a svelte new shape?

The truth is that nothing is wrong with losing weight rapidly — as long you do it the right way, says Michael Dansinger, MD. He’s the medical doctor for NBC’s The Biggest Loser show, which spotlights quick and dramatic weight loss.

“In theory, one could drop as much as 20 pounds in a week following a very ambitious eating and exercise plan, devoting more than seven hours per week to rigorous exercise, and under a physician’s care like we do on the television program,” he says.

But even if you can’t drop everything to go to weight loss “boot camp,” you can safely lose 3 or more pounds a week at home with a healthy diet and lots of exercise, says weight loss counselor Katherine Tallmadge, RD.

In fact, having a goal like looking great at a wedding or reunion can be a great motivator, as long as you follow a weight loss plan that you can keep up after the special event.

But you need to plan ahead and allow enough time to make changes to your shape.

“Don’t wait until one week before the reunion to try and lose 10 pounds,” advises Tara Gidus, MS, RD, team dietitian for the Orlando Magic.

How to Lose Weight Fast

Losing weight is a simple mathematical formula: You need to burn more calories than you eat. Experts generally recommend creating a deficit of 500 calories per day through a combination of eating fewer calories and increasing physical activity. Over the course of a week, this should yield a loss of about 1-2 pounds of fat.

If you want to lose weight faster, you’ll need to eat less and exercise more. Bottom line: 1,050 to 1,200 calories and one hour of exercise a day (but be sure not to dip below this calorie level for safety’s sake). On this type of plan, you can expect to lose 3-5 pounds the first week, or more if you weigh over 250 pounds.

“Dieters who follow the plan can lose 2 pounds from diet and 1 pound from exercise each week, and even more if they have more to lose, because the more fat you have to lose, the faster it comes off,” says Dansinger.

You may lose even more weight initially if you limit salt and starches.

“When you reduce sodium and cut starches, you reduce fluids and fluid retention, which can result in up to 5 pounds of fluid loss when you get started,” explains Dansinger.

Diets for Fast Weight Loss

When it comes to weight loss, calories count the most, says Dansinger. He recommends cutting back to a daily level of 7 calories per pound of your current body weight (which for a 200-pound person, for example, would be 1,400 calories), but no less than 1,050 calories/day (the lowest level that can be done safely at home). Dietitians more typically recommend 1,200 calories as a daily minimum.

Dansinger advocates a diet that minimizes starches, (even healthy whole grains should be controlled), added sugars, and animal fat from meat and dairy foods. For rapid weight loss, dieters should eat mainly fruits, veggies, egg whites, soy products, skinless poultry breasts, fish, shellfish, nonfat dairy foods, and 95% lean meat.

He notes that there are other ways to control calories, such as minimizing total fat, but believes that tends to be more challenging than his suggested weight loss plan.

Other experts interviewed by WebMD recommended tactics including drinking lots of water, eating plenty of protein, and keeping a food journal.

“Eat enough protein and distribute it evenly through your meals to minimize muscle loss and maximize fat loss,” says Tallmadge, author of Diet Simple, who also advises clients to swap out carbs in favor of veggies.

American Dietetic Association spokesperson Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, recommends:

• Eat plenty of low-calorie vegetables to help you feel full.
• Drink plenty of water so you don’t confuse hunger with thirst.
• Clear the house of tempting foods.
• Stay busy to prevent eating out of boredom.
• Eat only from a plate, while seated at a table.
• Always eat three meals and one snack daily — no skipping meals.

Weighing yourself daily and tracking your food intake can also help you keep focused, experts say.

“Even if you write it down on a napkin and end up throwing it away, the act of writing it down is about being accountable to yourself and is a very effective tool for weight loss,” says Bonnie Taub Dix, MA, RD, a food and nutrition blogger for USA Today.

Although it won’t actually help you lose weight, Blatner, author of The Flexitarian Diet, says that eating fennel seeds, ginger, parsley, peppermint, pineapple, and yogurt with honey one to three days before the big event can help you de-bloat and keep your tummy feeling flatter.

Exercising for Fast Weight Loss

Even if you are currently exercising, you’ll need to kick it up a notch if your goal is rapid weight loss, says Gidus. A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine indicated that losing weight requires close to an hour a day of moderate exercise.

That fits in with Dansinger’s recommendation of seven hours per week of cardio exercise leading up to your special event.

“Cardio burns the most calories, so it is ideal for fast weight loss, but afterwards you need to include a few hours a week of strength training,” he says. To burn the most fat, try to break a sweat after your warm-up and keep sweating for the entire hour, says Dansinger.

Most everyone can do an hour a day, but the intensity of your workout will depend on your current state of fitness. Experts recommend gradually increasing exercise intensity to avoid injury.

When you can’t do cardio, Tallmadge recommends doing strength training at least twice weekly, working all your major muscle groups, and fitting in at least 15,000 steps a day (get a pedometer to keep count).

Gidus suggests doubling up on your exercise routine: “Do a morning and evening workout, and if you don’t have time to do two a day, expend more calories in the workouts you are currently doing.”

Another option is to incorporate interval training. The new South Beach Supercharged plan by Arthur Agatson, MD, promotes adding high-intensity intervals to workouts to burn more calories in less time.

“Interval training allows people to work harder without having to spend the entire time at the higher level, and over time, the more you do it, the easier it becomes to burn more calories,” says Blatner.

Fad Diets and Crash Diets

Many people don’t have the time to do the rigorous amount of exercise required to lose weight quickly, and so turn to fad diets. But keep in mind that if a diet plan sounds too good to be true, it probably is. So steer clear of programs that promote pills, laxatives, fasting, or potions, and any that promise weight loss faster than 2-3 pounds per week.

The truth is that cutting calories below 1,050 per day is counterproductive, because you need strong muscles to be able to exercise effectively.

“When you eat too few calories you lose fat but also precious muscle, which is the worst thing you could do because it slows your metabolism and makes it more difficult to increase exercise intensity or duration,” says Dansinger.

And what about over-the-counter (OTC) diet pills? Except for the OTC version of Alli, most respected experts do not recommend them.

“Diet pills are either ineffective or extremely dangerous, and not recommended,” says Dansinger.

The bottom line? Weight loss experts agree that any rapid weight loss diet should be identical to a long-term, sustainable plan — and not a fad diet. And fasting or cutting calories below 1,050 are not appropriate for the long term unless you are under a physician’s care.

So many of us don’t exercise because we claim we don’t have the time. While our schedules may be jam-packed from sunrise to sunset, you can still get your cardio on! Since exercise is cumulative, three 10-minute cardio sessions can work well for the fashionista on the go who doesn’t have a full 30 consecutive minutes to spare. While many of these workouts won’t get you a bod like Mel B, keep doing them daily and you’ll notice some difference. As always, before you start any exercise regimen, consult with your doctor.

Tips for getting physical while at work:

* Run! Or walk if it’s not safe to run in your office. Instead of emailing someone on another floor, get out of your cubicle and take the stairs for a face-to-face interaction. Use the copier on the far end of the office. Whatever you do, keep moving! Sitting in front of a computer all day is no bueno. Move your body, girl.

* Work out while you work. I was listening to The Steve Harvey Morning Show yesterday and a listener won an exercise bike, but mentioned she tried under the desk pedals. I had never heard of them before that, so I googled and find some cool extremely portable pedals, ellipticals, etc. that could easily fit under your desk at work. I haven’t personally tried these out, but they look like they get the job done considering the situation. Check them out:

Stamina 55-1610 InMotion E1000 Elliptical Trainer

Isokinetics Inc. Deluxe Pedal Exerciser – Black – With Anti-Slip Strips – Fully Assembled

J Fit Pink Mini Elliptical w/ FREE pedometer!

Gold’s Gym Upper and Lower Body Cycle

Check out more workout at work tips here and here.