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  • [MBBC] Sugar Detox: get off the roller coaster

    Sugar detox
    get off the roller coaster
    Sugar addiction is very common physical addiction and withdrawal is comparatively mild to emotional and psychological withdrawal that usually accompanies it. Symptoms of this process are fatigue, anxiety and irritability, depression, detachment rapid heart beat and palpitations.
    Getting off refined sugars and processed carbs that make blood sugar spike can be one of the keys to permanently staying at your healthy weight easily. This is also a key to avoiding disease, getting the kind of stable energy you want throughout the day and sleeping better. It will also be reflected in your skin, because your hormones will be more stable and your break outs will begin to diminish.
    Good Foods to replace sugary foods with:
    Fruit
    Popcorn
    Almond butter & celery
    Protein smoothies
    Tea
    mixed nuts & seeds
    salad
    dried fruit (if tolerated)
    Once you get off the sugar roller coaster, you will easily spot how one sugary treat sends you right back into the cravings cycle! You will start craving carbs soon after that initial sugar rush starts to let down, and that's the time to reach for protein or a salad to break the cycle.
     
    Tips for breaking the sugar craving cycle:
    • Drink 8 glasses of water + tea per day
    • Make sure you are getting enough fiber by eating whole foods
    • Check with your doctor about a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement and testing to see if you are deficient, some nutrient deficiencies can provoke cravings
    • Look out for hidden sugar + artificial sweeteners that mimic sugar in your body, especially in sauces and condiments
    • Try stevia or xylitol to see if they work for you in replacing sugar
    • Make sure you are getting enough complex carbs + protein to fuel your body, starving it of nutrients and fuel creates a blood sugar crash
    • Most bottled juices and juice drinks are mainly sugar, avoid these as well.
    • Add fruit as a dessert
    Here's more instructions on breaking a serious sugar addiction, remember take your time with it, it didn't happen overnight and it won't go away overnight. From an article "4 Steps to Successfully Cut Down on Sugar" in the Huffington Post:
    "The average American adult consumes the equivalent of about 32 teaspoons of sugar per day. Sugar is really the number one food additive: it is added to drinks, often in the form of high-fructose corn syrup, to bread, sauces, dressings, and to all kinds of processed foods including many low-fat products. "

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  • Your no-running Spring Exercise Plan

    Running is a challenging, effective workout, there's no doubt about it. Considered the gold standard for burning calories, running does have some draw backs, often beginning runners get injured and then are sidelined for an extended period of time. Plus, it can be boring and isolating if you often run alone.

    Creating a new, varied Spring time exercise program with many different challenging workouts to cross train the body protects you from injury and overusing muscles, plus our bodies love to be constantly challenged in new ways to keep our metabolism and muscles surprised, which is great for your body and keeping you mentally engaged as well. Have fun with it, create a chart or use an app on your phone to pick 5 things you haven't tried before and see if you can do them each once a week for the next four weeks!

    Your goal: Design a life you love, try new things that get results in less time and don't make you dread doing them. We're looking for exercises that burn around 10 calories per minute. Some you can sneak in from the list below, get up 20 minutes early or try doing them at night instead of snacking. I'm also going to challenge you to try something new that's SCARY! Like ballroom dancing, hula hoop class or surfing, anything you've always wanted to try but haven't yet! Something that the very thought of it gets you excited and thinking "wouldn't it be so cool if I knew how to...."

    That's how you design a life you love!

    Here's a list of other exercises that burn over 10 calories per minute:

    Weight training

    As little as 10 minutes, 3 times per week can have a positive effect on your body composition. It doesn't have to be a full-blown gym session to count either!

    Researchers at the University of Southern Maine used a more advanced method to estimate energy expenditure during exercise, they found that weight training burns up to 71 percent more calories than originally thought. Which suggests that a fast-paced circuit workout burns as many calories as running at a 6-minute per mile pace.

    Make sure you're lifting weights heavy enough to produce fatigue within 8-10 reps and perform the "negative" portion of the exercise twice as slowly as the lifting portion, this will maximize your results.

    Burpees

    Here's an explanation from Wiki

    The burpee is a full body exercise used in strength training and as an aerobic exercise. The basic movement is performed in four steps and known as a "four-count burpee":

    1. Begin in a standing position.
    2. Drop into a squat position with your hands on the ground. (count 1)
    3. Kick your feet back, while keeping your arms extended. (count 2)
    4. Immediately return your feet to the squat position. (count 3)
    5. Jump up from the squat position (count 4)

    This link has a tutorial on burpees and other jumps: http://skinnyms.com/jazzed-up-jacks-and-jumps-tabata-workout/

    Indoor Bike Sprints

    Its possible to burn over 80 calories per minute if you give it everything you've got, make sure to follow the sprint with a cool down at least twice as long. Usually this requires a gym membership, but you can find creative solutions if you look for them. They even make under desk mini cycles now you can use while you work!

    Jumping Rope

    Portable and very inexpensive you can take a jump rope with you on a walk, travelling, in your car, outdoors, inside watching TV or while your kids play at the park, you can burn approximately 13 calories per minute jumping rope. It is one of the higher impact exercises on this list, so mix it in to your schedule but don't rely on it everyday. This link has tutorials on jumping rope and other jumps: http://skinnyms.com/jazzed-up-jacks-and-jumps-tabata-workout/

    HIIT Circuits

    From Dailyburn.com here's a beginners 20 minute HIIT circuit, where you perform 45 seconds of work, followed by 15 seconds of rest for 5 exercises and then you rest 1 minute between rounds and complete 3 rounds:

    • Push Ups
    • Squats
    • Butt Kicks
    • Tricep Dips
    • Side Lunges

    Tabata Jump Squats

    This four-minute miracle drill burns major calories both during a workout and after. In an Auburn University at Montgomery study, participants who did eight rounds of all-out jump squats—20 seconds of hard work, separated by 10 seconds of rest—burned 13.4 calories per minute and doubled their post-exercise metabolic rate for at least 30 minutes.

    This link has tutorials on a jumping sequence: http://skinnyms.com/jazzed-up-jacks-and-jumps-tabata-workout/

    Kettlebell Swing

    This explosive exercise works the big, powerful muscles around your glutes and quads, and sends your heart into overdrive, according to research from the University of Wisconsin. The motion of swinging the kettlebell really feels strange at first and works muscles you didn't even know you had! For between $10-$20 you can find one of these at Target and its an easy, fast workout to do while you're watching TV. This exercise will help you get those flat abs you want to show off in summer too, start with 10 sets of 10. See the instruction below from Prevention.com

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  • H&LBC Day 10 Cranberry Lemonade detox gallon challenge

    Cranberry lemonade detox water challenge

    I just LOVE this fat burning drink, its amazing at cleaning out the toxins and keeping you hydrated, you can really feel all your systems working better and it keeps you full. Sometimes I mix it with Newport Skinny Tea!

    Cranberry lemonade recipe:

    • Glass gallon jar
    • Safe, clean, spring water
    • 1 cup of organic 100% cranberry juice, not from concentrate
    • 3 organic fresh lemons
    • A citrus juicer
    • Liquid stevia
    • Liquid cayenne

    Fill the jar to about 85% capacity with spring water. Squeeze the lemons and pour the juice into the water. Add cranberry juice. Add stevia to taste and then add cayenne to taste. The amount of cayenne used is up to you, but the more the better.

    If you don't have access to a good spring water source, use other clean drinking water that does not have fluoride. If you don't have access to organic lemons, use conventional. If there are no fresh lemons, use bottle lemon juice. If you can't get cranberry juice that is not from concentrate, get the reconstituted kind (just don't get any kind of cranberry juice that has any other ingredients like sweeteners or other juices). If you can't stand cayenne, don't use it. No glass jar? Use plastic. No excuses.

    If you have powdered cayenne and/or powdered stevia, I recommend using a blender to mix some of the liquid with the powders so they don't settle later.

     Here's a new challenge: the one gallon challenge. Drink a gallon of cranberry lemonade a day, sweetened with stevia, and spiced with cayenne. This is one of the best ways to detoxify, lose weight, and clean out your system. It's also a much better choice for most people than The Master Cleanse

    Drinking a gallon of water a day makes an amazing difference to your health and your appearance (google gallon a day water before and after). Drinking this much fluid flushes the organs and the lymph nodes, hydrates the skin, and helps the body to rebuild cells and regenerate in ways that most people do not get to experience. The cranberry and the lemon help flush the liver and the kidneys even more, and in my experience it's a lot easier to drink a gallon of cranberry lemonade than it is to drink a gallon of plain water. And cayenne has a ton of amazing health benefits.


    Please use common sense with this. If you do not follow a healthy diet with lots of produce, the amount of liquid consumed on this regimen can deplete the body of much needed minerals. Do not attempt to drink a gallon of anything in one sitting, EVER. This has been known to kill people, even with just water. If you have kidney problems, this may be the best thing for you. On the other hand, depending on your health issues, it may overload the kidneys. I find that smaller people who weigh less than 120 pounds can see the benefits at 1/2 to 1/3 of a gallon. Your health is in your hands. Again, please use good judgment and ALWAYS check with your doctor before making changes to your medication or doctor prescribed routine.


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  • H&LBC Day 9 Using Spicy Fat burning Broth & Juice

      Day 9: Fat burning broth & detox juice

      Basic Fat Burning Broth recipe

      • 6 large green onions or large red onion
      • 1-2 cans of tomatoes
      • 1 large head of cabbage
      • 2 green peppers
      • 1 bunch celery
      • rosemary & tarragon for flavoring
      • shitake mushrooms for flavoring
      • 1 hot pepper, as per taste
      • 2 or 3 cloves of chopped garlic
      • 1 4 inch piece of kombu seaweed
      • vegetable broth, prefer low sodium

       

      Cut vegetables in small to medium pieces cover with broth or combination of broth and water. Boil fast for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer and continue cooking until vegetables are tender. Spices blend or individual spices such as rosemary, sage, thyme, tarragon or oregano, may be added as desired toward the end of cooking. Season with pepper, parsley, or hot sauce, if desired. Because of the bouillon, it will probably require little or no salt. Adding lemon or lime juice enhances the fat burning properties and the taste. Do not add salt.

      This soup can be eaten any time you are hungry. Eat as much as you want, whenever you want. This soup will not add calories. The more you eat, the more you will lose. Fill a thermos in the morning if you will be away during the day. However, if eaten alone for indefinite periods, you would suffer from malnutrition. You may strain out the vegetables or blend the vegetables to add variety.

      Slim down detox juice

      This will enliven your whole body, aid digestion, boost the immune and eliminate toxins. Also good to help your body handle stress.

      2 oranges, peeled
      ½ lemon, peeled
      1 beetroot (no greens)
      1 small handful of spinach
      5 celery stalks
      5 long carrots
      1 inch cube of ginger root, turmeric or dash of spice blend


      Peel the orange and lemon, then juice with the rest of the ingredients. If the fruit is organic and you can handle the taste of the peel, include some peel. You may change up the variety by mixing up the ginger or turmeric root, you may always add some cayenne or spice blend to this mix if you are wanting a savory treat. Also adding cucumber instead of celery will change things up too, I also like to include romaine lettuce or kale instead of spinach, you should rotate your greens if this is a drink you have consistently.

      Bonus tip! Dieter’s Dream Water – Sometimes it’s alright to keep things simple, especially when you’re detoxing. This recipe is basically water that has different cleansing fruits and vegetables soaking in it. The nutritional aspects of these ingredients will be absorbed by the water, and it’s recommended to let this sit overnight for best results. The nice thing is that you can keep refilling the pitcher so you get the most value for your money and use up as much of the ingredients as possible. If you have organic veggies and fruits, don't be afraid to use the peels! Also good to add stevia or spice blend, or freeze this for a frozen treat when you're craving sweets.

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    • How to Design a Weight Loss Detox Bath

      Custom Detox Bathing

       

      Before You Bathe:

      • Drink plenty of water! Your body is supposed to sweat out all the toxins, so you will need to keep your body as hydrated as possible.
      • Make sure someone else is home. Some people feel dizzy/light headed afterwards. Just in case you don’t feel well, it’s good to have someone there to help.
      • Allow your body to digest your food before taking a bath (i.e. don’t eat immediately beforehand).

      The Bath:

      • Make sure the water temperature is hot, but comfortable.
      • Start mixing in the ingredients when the tub is about halfway full. Every now and then, swirl the water around to make sure everything is mixing/dissolving.
      • Stay in the tub for 20-40 minutes.
      • You can take these baths anywhere from once a day to once in a while, depending on how your body reacts to them.

      After You Bathe:

      • Get out of the bath slowly and carefully. If you feel dizzy/lightheaded, this feeling should go away after a few minutes. 
      • Drink plenty of water! Your body sweated a lot, so you need to re-hydrate.
      • It is suggested to moisturize your skin with olive oil or coconut oil.
      • If you take a shower to rinse off, make sure the water is cool.

      Types of Detox Baths

      I’ve seen a variety of different detox baths, all with different ingredients and different proportions of each ingredient. Really, you can be your own “chemist,”  do some trial and error, and find what works best for you. A range of suggested ingredient amounts are provided in parentheses (again, pick what is best for YOU). For Epsom salt, start small and work your body’s tolerance up.

      Main Detox Bath Ingredients:

      • Epsom salt (1-2 cups)
      • 100% magnesium sulfate – replenishes body’s magnesium levels
      • Increases body’s ability to detoxify, strenghtens immune system, helps soothe aching muscles, reduces swelling, helps heal bruises
      • You can read more about Epsom salts here
      • Baking soda (1-2 cups)
      • Neutralizes any chemicals in tap water (chlorine and flouride especially), smoothes skin, helps alkalize body & aids detoxifcation

      Optional Ingredients:

      • Green tea bags (2-5 bags)
        • Antioxidant, relaxes body, soothes sore muscles and rashes
      • Apple Cider Vinegar (1/2-2 cups)
        • Anti-inflammatory, softens skin
      • Essential Oils (5-20 drops)
        • Great aromas and unique therapeutic benefits of each
      • Ground Ginger (1 tbsp – a handful)
        • Increases circulation, promotes sweating, helps open pores, helps in pain relief
      • Lemon halves/lemon juice (1 tbsp – 1/3 cup)
        • Antioxidant, brightens skin
      • Olive Oil (1 tbsp – 1/3 cup)
        • Moisturizes skin

      This is a wonderful way to relax and get healthier, these can be done regularly but make sure to keep them under 30 minutes as you will begin to reabsorb the toxins. Make sure you don't get too hot and add cooler water if you start to sweat profusely. You can also use your leftover loose leaf tea in your bath, just contain it in a small bag or infuser so it does not clog your drain.

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    • H&LBC Day 1: Legs up wall

      Day 1 of Hot & Lazy boot camp

      Legs up wall yoga pose is so easy! Its a restorative, restful pose you can do it while you’re doing something else and the list of benefits is HUGE (see below). Here's a great example of being rewarded for being more lazy! With daily practice you will see better digestion, better circulation and better skin tone, plus less anxiety! Try this today and feel better immediately!

       

      How to do Legs up wall

      1. Sidle one hip as close as you can to a wall.
      2. Swing both legs up the wall and move your rear end as close to the wall as possible. If this hurts your hamstrings, slide a few inches away from the wall. Rest your arms on your belly, or stretch them away from you in a T, W, or V position.
      3. When you are done, bend your knees, roll to one side, and rest there, taking a few breaths before getting up.

       

      what’s going on in this pose?

      • Your femur bones are dropping into your hip sockets, relaxing your psoas, the muscles that help you walk and support your lower back.
      • Blood is draining out of your tired feet and legs.
      • Your nervous system is getting a signal to slow down, It’s all stress release and recovery   

      Want more of this in your life?

      • Do this pose while doing something you love, it will form a positive link in your brain, such as watching guilty pleasure TV shows, playing games on your phone or reading Divergent for the 3rd time. Set an alarm on your phone for the first week, because we often forget to integrate new habits- make technology work for you!
      •  Check out Yoga Journal’s A lazy girl's guide to yoga
      •  Ask a fun friend to check out yoga classes with you, most centers have a special rate for first time visitors. Or find an at-home yoga based workout program, our favorite is Piyo by Chalene Johnson 

      benefits

      • Eases anxiety and stress
      • Therapeutic for arthritis, headaches, high blood pressure, low blood pressure and insomnia
      • Eases symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, menstrual cramps and menopause
      • Relieves tired or cramped feet and legs
      • Gently stretches the hamstrings, legs and lower back
      • Relieves lower back pain
      • Calms the mind
      • Regulates blood flow
      • Relieves swollen ankles and varicose veins
      • Helps testicular, semen, and ovarian problems in men and women respectively
      • Improves digestion and circulation
      • Restores tired feet or legs
      • Stretches the back of the neck, front torso, and back of the legs
      • Improves problems of the eyes and ears
      • Relieves mild backache
      • Helps keep you young and vital
      • Calms anxiety
      • Relieves symptoms of mild depression and insomnia

      Contraindicated for glaucoma, please check with your doctor first before trying this pose if you have any concerns about your health and/or medications.

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