Protein Up Your Diet!

The other day, a friend of mine asked me how to drop 5 pounds by following a better diet. Among many things including snacking more frequently and adding more whole grains, I suggested she add more protein to her diet. Many young women today simply don't get enough protein, potentially derailing their overall weight loss efforts. I know so many girls who swear off meat thinking it's evil, and others who chose to follow a vegetarian diet (which is OK) but aren't making up for that loss of protein. Then there is a whole other group who take part in the "Special K" diet or fruit and cereal only. Don't even get me started with them. . .

Adding more lean protein to your diet is known to satisfy your hunger much longer than carbs and other foods can, repair muscles after a long workout, as well as help you shed those last few pounds.

I'm not saying to cut out all other foods groups and go protein-crazy. I'm just saying to be aware of a more balanced diet, getting a good amount of healthy, complex carbohydrates like whole grains and fruits, good fats like Olive Oil, and lean proteins.

I'm here to tell you how to add more protein to your diet, the healthy way, since many people struggle with this particular area.

1. Beans, beans, beans! The silly rhyme says beans are the magical fruit, the more you eat. . .(well, you know the rest) but beans actually can be magical! They are a super protein, particularly great for those vegetarians out there who swear off meat. Try adding a variety of beans (garbanzo beans, black beans, Lima beans, lentils) to your soups, salads and everyday meals to get the extra protein boost!

2. Lean meats: Yes, eating a ton of red meat every day may not be so good for your health, leading to heart disease and other risky health problems. But, lean turkey and chicken are great to add into your diet. Try slicing up grilled chicken into your salads, adding turkey or chicken into your favorite winter soups, or simply eating them plain in wraps and sandwiches! Turkey bacon is another great option to eat aside a morning omelet or inside a "BLT."

3. Play around with nut butters: Try different nut butters, like almond butter, natural peanut butter and sunflower butter! Make sure to get them all natural, with no added sugars or other crap. Nut butters taste wonderful on a a slice of toast in the AM, or on top of apples, pears and other fresh fruits!

4. Go egg-white crazy! Who said you have to eat the whole egg? While sometimes you may want the whole egg, other times try just the egg white. It'll save you a load of calories and cholesterol, while still giving you the protein benefits! Try an egg white veggie omelet for breakfast, or slice up some hard boiled egg whites into an afternoon salad.

5. Tofu: Tofu is great for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Lightly saute some up into your stir-fry dishes, or bake it in the oven with some fresh herbs and olive oil to give it a yummy, crunchy taste. You can even scramble some up for morning "scrambled eggs", and add some veggies, herbs, salt and pepper to taste!

6. FIsh: Choose lean fish once or twice a week for dinner. It has wonderful healthy proteins, as well as Omega 3 fatty acids that are great for your skin, hair and nails! With fish, you can lose weight and look great at the same time!

7. Yogurts/Low fat Dairy: Add in some low fat cows milk to your morning cereal, and bring a healthy yogurt with you for the day for snacking! Try plain Greek yogurt, or any that doesn't have a ton of added sugars! Check the label to make sure you're getting your protein. Grab a stick of low fat string cheese for snacking to, which has the calcium and protein you need to stay healthy!

8. Soy Products: In addition to tofu, try soy milk, soy cheese or any other soy meat substitutes, especially if you're lactose intolerant.

7 Little Ways to Trick Ya Into Working Out

We all know what it's like to wake up and talk yourself out of working out. "I don't have time." "I'll work out tomorrow!" "I'm too busy!" Stop right there Healthy Chick, and use these little mind tricks next time you're faced with this kind of problem!

1. Put your workout clothes on right when you roll out of bed or get home. If you're at work all day, pack a bag with a change of clothes and sneakers, and store it in your car or a gym locker for the day! If you know you already have everything you need to get your workout started, you'll be much less likely to talk yourself out of it!

2. Plan a decadent dinner that you can enjoy after your workout! Treat yourself to a trip to your favorite grocery store or market, and buy fresh ingredients for a healthy, filling meal you'll love! Or pop your favorite dish in the oven or slow cooker before you head to the gym, like a delicious turkey chili or chicken and rice casserole. By the time the buzzer goes off, you'll be back from a nice sweaty workout sesh and ready to indulge (healthily of course)!

3. Think about how you can pamper yourself afterward. Treat yourself to a hot shower or bubble bath after your workout, or steam room/sauna session if your gym has them! This will help your muscles relax and make you feel absolutely beautiful.

4. Go on a workout clothes shopping spree! If you can afford to look cute in your everyday life, why not beautify your look at the gym as well? Buy some cute, formfitting tanks and some hot yoga pants that make your butt look phenomenal!

5. Sign up for a fun class with a friend, like a Forrest yoga class to help you relax, or you may want to try shaking your booty in Zumba to have a blast and sweat it off!

6. Think of all of the crappy food and drinks you'll be guzzling down this weekend! This should be enough to get your butt off the couch to sweat it off before you beat up your bod with fatty foods and large amounts of beer. Also, if you get a great workout in before all the festivities, you'll be much more likely to be cautious of what you put in your mouth, making somewhat wiser choices!

7. Track your workouts in a log, kind of like a food diary! This will let you see how far you've progressed, motivating you to keep going!

4 Things to Do Right Now for a More Fulfilling Life

I've noticed that people have been rather moody and not so happy lately. I don't know if it's the frigid winter weather or the fact that the holiday season is now over (and the next "holiday" to look forward to is Valentine's Day-I know blah), but something is in the air and it's not a good thing! So I've put together a little list of things you can do to make both your day (and someone else's) just a little bit brighter, a little bit more fulfilling!

1. Cook Dinner for Someone Special: Make a fabulous dinner for your boyfriend, your mom or even your roommates! Go all out-crack open a bottle of wine, set the table all pretty and cook up one of your favorite recipes, something you haven't made in a long, long time! Serve a healthy multi grain bread with olive oil, salt and pepper for dipping, then move on to salad and alas the main course! For dessert, have something light like fresh fruit or chocolate covered strawberries. For a super easy and semi-healthy fruit dip, mix together a container of light, fat free Cool Whip with one package of instant vanilla pudding. Stir together and cool for a yummy, good-for-ya dip!

2. Design a Book: Always wanted to make a book? Well here's your big chance! Go to Blurb's website to download a super easy program to get you started on your book-making project. You can choose everything from the layout, background, soft/hard covered, etc. Prices start around $5 to get your book printed, depending on what you want!

A friends birthday coming up? Mom and dad's anniversary? You can design anything from a photo collage to a cook book, all with your own personal touch! Right now, I'm making a healthy cook book for a friend, featuring all my healthy recipes with photos to go along with them! Have fun with it-it will give you something to do in your spare time and make someones day when the finished project comes out!

3. Have a pizza party! Buy some pizza dough (whole wheat if you want to be healthier) and a few cans of tomato sauce, and invite friends over to join in on the fun. Have each friend bring a different topping, like mozzarella cheese, broccoli, turkey burger, pepperoni, onions and anything else you love! Put on some aprons and have a blast!

4. Hit the Slopes: Make the best of this cold weather, and hit the ski slopes! Grab some friends and your ski gear, and head up to New Hampshire or Vermont for the weekend to let off some steam on the mountains. Not a skier? Take a lesson or suggest to go night snow tubing instead, which can be a blast! Skiing and snowboarding aren't only super fun activities, but can also burn approximately 408 calories in one hour-what a deal!

Get With It: Know Your Body Fat Percentage!

The other day at the gym, I took the ever-dreaded boy fat test. I mean, honestly, what is even somewhat delightful about lifting up your shirt, getting your fat clamped with calibers and exposing parts of your body not even you want to look at in the mirror?

Well, I have to say, while that does sound quite frightening, it really wasn't as bad as it's made out to be. I thought of it more like a scientific experiment, and found myself quite fascinated by the whole process, especially the end results. 

And I have to say, I highly recommend each and every one of you scheduling an appointment at your local gym to do the same. 

So many of us rely on the number on the scale to judge our progress, ultimately making us feel really good about ourselves (yay, I lost a pound!) or otherwise really shitty about ourselves (ugh, I'm gaining weight again after all that!) 

But really that one little number is only a part of our progress, and sometimes can be quite deceiving. How can you tell if that weight gain or loss was due to fat or muscle?

That's where the body fat percentage test comes in handy, telling you exactly how much fat you have on your body. No lies. No BS. Just plain truth. 

Most trainers will test your body fat at 7 different measurement sites (including your abdomen and thighs, two "trouble spots" for women) using the calibers, and will then put the numbers into a common formula to determine the percentage, making the test super accurate! 

And once you know that number, you can really see how your fitness goals are progressing, and adjust your regime accordingly.

For example, while I am no where near the low end of the scale, my body fat percentage read 26%, a fairly healthy number for women in their 20s. 

On the other hand, another woman the same age may look skinny and weigh even 110 pounds, yet have a body fat of 32%, which isn't very healthy. One of the personal trainers at my gym refers to this type person as "skinny fat." They may look "skinny" in theory, yet much of their weight is made of of pure fat, which isn't what we aim for. 

The lesson I've learned from this all, and that I want you to understand as well is that looks (and the number on the scale) can be highly deceiving at times. That's why it's so important not to rely on that one number, and to look at your progress in a full spectrum of things, including the way you look in the mirror, the way your clothes fit and how much body fat you have. 

So go go ahead and suck it up: brave the body fat test. Trust me, it's worth it. 

Follow Your Heart

                        . . from Google Images. . 

What do You Have to Lose?

I used to go through life with a sort of guard up. Yes, I'm adventurous and fun, but in the back of my mind, a little part of me was always holding back, not living to its fullest potential. 

I guess I was scared in a way: scared of not meeting my goals, scared of getting my heartbroken, scared of being rejected, scared of things not working out the way I had planned. 

I'd analyze the heck out of everything that by the time I was finally ready to go ahead and go for it, I'd have already talked myself out of it, forgetting what I'd even wanted to do in the first place.

It was like I was scared to let myself go, to go ahead and go for it. . . and go big.

But lately, I've been trying to live by a different mindset to let go of all those little thoughts in my head and inhibitions, and just live. 

After all, what do I really have to lose anyway? Sure, things could go wrong, I could end up disappointed or let down, but if that's the worst of it, why not try? 

So from now on, I'm making more of an effort to go with it, go after what I want and deal with the consequences (good or bad) when they happen. 

Go ahead and try it with me. Behave a little friskier. Make bold moves. Follow your heart, instead of your mind once in a while. Reveal your true personality, even if it's a lot to handle. Act up. Go for that dream job. Walk with confidence. Dream big. 

Life's way too short to hold back, so go ahead and go big; go after what you really want! 

Ringin' in the New Year

So I was just chatting with my best friend about New Years, and we both suddenly got super excited regarding the fact that 2010 brings an entirely new decade. 

I usually dread New Years, as the drop of the bell usually puts me into a semi depressed state, as yet another year goes by being a single girl, sans kiss at midnight. It's hard not to become just a little bit saddened by all the happy couples smooching, dancing and gallivanting around the room as the clock strikes midnight, as I stand awkwardly on the side in my pretty little dress.

But, NO, this year is going to be different. I've decided New Years isn't anything to fear. Instead, it's something to look forward to, as a new year entails new adventures, experiences, people and opportunities. It's a time to continue on with the goodness in your life, as well as start fresh with all the things you'd rather leave behind in '09. 

Enough of those stupid, cliche, generic New Year's resolutions to lose 10 pounds, exercise more or eat less chocolate. 

Rather, why not make it the year to travel and explore more often, spend more time with friends and family or allow yourself to open your heart up to love and new opportunities? 

Start thinking about what you really, truly want to make of this new year that lays ahead of us in just a few days. 

Here's a toast to new things, and a healthy, happy and wholesome New Year to look forward to for once!