Neither adults nor children can be nor should they be shamed into losing weight because believe me, an overweight teen will know that they weigh too much.  What a teen doesn’t know, is how they can achieve a normal weight, as well as increase their self esteem.  Teens like to know that their parents love them unconditionally, whether they are fat, thin or normal.

For any parent, mastering the fine art of loving your child just the way they are, while helping them to achieve a healthier body can be difficult.  Any parent must learn to “give time” and believe that the lessons we teach, will one day come to fruition.

This means we can teach our youngsters to visualize a healthy meal, one that is half salad or vegetables, a quarter starches and the remainder protein such as fish, meat, poultry or soy.  But you also know that at some point, they will sneak either sweets or cookies, and upset the balance that you have achieved.

A parent can persist in teaching their teens to see their plate before any food is put on it. This is helpful, as it creates a sense of portion control that is helpful when the parent is not around. This portion control can also be practiced when visiting a restaurant as well.

So I am going to say this one more time, PLEASE do not shame your child into losing weight.

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Sleep is the time when the body can recuperate, repair and set the immune system to work on any infections or problems that have arisen during the day.

That’s why we sleep more when we are sick. And that’s why sleeping well can prevent a lot of health problems.

Generally speaking, regular exercise contributes to this by helping us sleep well and deeply. However, there are some things that you need to know about exercise and how it impacts on our sleep patterns.

So how does being fit help us to sleep well? One way is that regular exercise reduces stress in the body and mind. When we are less stressed, we sleep better.

Having a good level of exercise also raises our metabolism. This improves the digestive process and means that we are not so likely to have our sleep disturbed by indigestion and other gastric issues.

However, it is better not to exercise right before you go to sleep. Even though it may seem like it tires you out, exercise is actually a stimulant. It gives you an energy boost.

This means that it is better to work out earlier in the day. It is also important to allow about a half hour after a snack and 2-3 hours after a meal before you start to work out.

This means that the times that work best for most people are either in the morning or, if that does not fit with your schedule, in the late afternoon right after finishing work.

This will allow your body to make the most of the exercise session and also benefit from restful sleep.

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Even cakes, cookies and pies can be baked with lesser calories and more nutrients. 

Still skeptical?  Try the healthy dessert recipes below and see for yourself.

Healthy Dessert Recipe #1 – Oatmeal-Chocolate Chunk Cookies

You’d never guess that these cookies pack a lot of fiber, from the oats and whole wheat flour.
     
     • 5 tbsp no-trans fat margarine
     • 3 tbsp light cream cheese
     • 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
     • 1 egg
     • 6 tbsp whole wheat flour
     • 6 tsp all-purpose flour
     • 1/2 tsp baking soda
     • 1/2 tsp salt
     • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
     • 2 tsp vanilla extract
     • 3/4 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips
     • 1 cup quick-cooking oats.

Preparation:

     1. Preheat oven to 375F.  Coat cookie sheets with nonstick spray.
     2. Cream together no-trans fat margarine, cream cheese and brown sugar.  Add egg and mix well.
     3. Add flours, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and vanilla to the creamed mixture.  Blend to combine.  Fold in chocolate chunks and oats.  Mix well.
     4. Drop by rounded teaspoons on cookie sheet about one inch apart.  Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove cookies. Let them cool on a wire rack.

Makes about 30 cookies.

Nutritional Information (per cookie): Calories- 60, Carbohydrates- 7g, Protein- 1.5g, Fat- 2.8g, Fiber- 1g

Healthy Dessert Recipe #2 – Brownies

     • 100 grams unsweetened chocolate
     • 1 cup all purpose flour
     • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
     • 1 cup soy margarine
     • 1-1/2 cups maple sugar
     • 4 eggs
     • 1/2 tsp salt
     • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation:

     1. Preheat oven to 325F.
     2. Melt margarine and chocolate over low heat.  Allow to cool.
     3. Whisk together sugar, eggs and vanilla.  Add cooled chocolate mixture.
     4. Add flour, salt and walnuts.  Mix well.
     5. Pour into lightly greased pan and bake for 30 minutes or until done.

Healthy Dessert Recipe #3 – Blueberry Pudding

This recipe uses apple juice concentrate as sweetener.  It’s high in protein, low in fat, and loaded with antioxidants.

     • 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin (1 envelope)
     • ¼ cup boiling water
     • 1-1/4 cups tofu, drained
     • 5 tbsp apple juice concentrate
     • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
     • 1 tbsp brown sugar, packed
     • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
     • 2 cups fresh blueberries, divided

Preparation:

     1. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water.
     2. Place dissolved gelatin, tofu, apple juice concentrate, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and 1 cup blueberries in a blender. Blend until smooth.
     3. Pour pudding into a bowl and fold in remaining blueberries.
     4. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 4 hours or until set.  Serve cold.

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Workout clothing might not be at the top of your list of things to consider when you are planning your workout routine but it is important for a number of reasons. Check out all of the points below and we are sure you will agree that it is worth spending some time and money selecting the right workout clothing.

Many of the reasons for having dedicated fitness apparel for wearing at the gym are psychological. Workout clothing puts you in the zone. Your mindset can have a huge effect on the success of your fitness or bodybuilding training, so pay close attention to this.

If you think about it for a moment, you will soon see that if you go to the gym or work out at home in your regular clothes, you are much less likely to take your training seriously. You will not pay so much attention to form or treat this as an important activity in your life.

Having the right clothes also increases your confidence. When you look like somebody who works out, you will feel and act like somebody who works out. ‘Fake it until you make it’ works here as in so many other aspects of life.

Workout clothing is important for comfort too. It is vital that your body can move freely during your training program, so you will not want anything too tight or restrictive. Your training program should only be limited by your body’s strength and endurance, not by your clothes. Heavy fabrics like denim are out; stretch fabrics are in.

Tanks that leave the armpits open can prevent your workout clothing becoming uncomfortably sweaty. Tanks are also great for showing off the results of your training. Arms, shoulders, backs and even the chest and abs are clearly displayed in a well designed bodybuilding tank. Sports tanks are usually looser in the body and cut higher under the arms.

Women’s workout clothing includes sports bras and tops as well as all types of leg wear from shorts through Capris to sweatpants. Short skirts suit some sports like tennis and badminton, while anybody including yoga in their workout will prefer leggings that allow a full stretch without flopping the way that other pants might.

It may seem weird to be thinking so much about workout clothing, especially for guys, but consider this. Pretty much everything important that we do has special clothes. Big events like weddings and funerals, of course; but even things that we do every day have their own ‘costume’. Most people wear different clothes for work than they would wear on the weekend, even if there are no dress rules for their job.

So wearing the right clothes in the gym helps your training program in many ways. It puts you in the zone for getting fit. It means that your mind will be much less distracted than if you went on wearing the same T shirt that you had on all day. Finding it hard to believe that the right workout clothing could actually improve your performance? Try it.

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There’s no excuse to miss out on this important meal because there are hundreds of healthy breakfast recipes that taste delicious and are full of nutrients, energy and vitamins to get you through the day.

Scrambled Egg Muffins

High in protein but low in fat, this healthy breakfast muffin recipe is packed with vitamins and fiber to keep you feeling full all morning.

      • 9 eggs
      • 1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped
      • 1/3 cup nonfat milk
      • 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
      • 1/4 cup low fat cheddar cheese, grated
      • 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
      • 1 tomato, chopped
      • Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350F.  Break eggs into a bowl; whisk lightly.  Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine.  Do not over-beat.  Spoon mixture into nonstick muffin tins or into a tin sprayed with nonstick coating.  Bake the muffins for 25 to 30 minutes, or until done.  Makes 12 servings.

Old Fashioned Cinnamon-Applesauce Oatmeal

This hot cereal dish tastes best with old-fashioned rolled oats.  Cinnamon and vanilla add flavor.

      • 2 cups milk
      • 1-1/2 cups rolled oats
      • 1 cup applesauce
      • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
      • 1/8 tsp salt
      • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
      • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Bring milk to a boil over medium high heat.  Add rolled oats and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add remaining ingredients and stir.  Serve hot.  Makes 4 servings.

Superfood Breakfast Smoothie Recipe

When you’re in a hurry but don’t want to miss out on a healthy breakfast, have a superfood smoothie.  In a matter of minutes, you’ll have a breakfast-in-a-glass that’s full of vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and flavonoids.  The tofu provides protein and a creamy consistency to the drink

      • 1 cup frozen raspberries
      • 1 cup frozen blueberries
      • 1 cup frozen mango slices
      • 2 cups pineapple juice or pineapple-coconut juice
      • 1/3 cup silken tofu
      • 1/2 cup nonfat yogurt, plain

Combine all ingredients in a blender.  Blend at high speed until smooth and creamy.  Serves 4.

5-Minute Multigrain Cereal

Here’s a healthy breakfast recipe that you can cook in your microwave.  It’s made of fiber-rich cereals, sweet raisins, and antioxidant-laden nuts.

      • 2 tbsp quick-cooking barley
      • 2 tbsp old-fashioned rolled oats
      • 2 tbsp bulgur
      • 2/3 cup water
      • 2 tbsp raisins
      • Pinch of cinnamon
      • 1 tbsp chopped pecans or walnuts
      • Low-fat milk (optional)

Combine barley, bulgur, oats and water in a microwave-safe 1-quart bowl.  Microwave on high for 2 minutes.  Stir in cinnamon and raisins.  Microwave for 3 minutes more.  Stir and top with chopped nuts.  Serve with milk, if desired.  Makes 1 serving.

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The fact is, a lot of people are looking for a shortcut to fitness.  They don’t want to weigh their food, look at labels and count calories. 

It all sounds like too much work, wasted effort and a lot of heartache.

The good news is, calorie counting is a lot easier than you may realize.  And the best thing is, after a while it is very little effort at all. 

Make a journal of your most common foods.  Research the calories in them and write them down.  After a couple weeks, you should have pretty much all the kinds of food you eat. 

Plus, after just a few days you will have a better understanding of the amount of calories in most foods.  You would be surprised to realize all the great food you can eat within certain calories. 

You might even decide to add some great new recipes into your routine too!

The easiest thing is to keep eating the foods you like with a bit of variation.  If you love burgers, go for it. 

Find the restaurant with the best burger for the calories.  Or if you make a certain dish at home, try different recipes based on the calories they are.

It is best not to completely change your diet.  The more dramatic the change, the less likely you will stick it out. 

It is much better to just keep with what you like with a slight modification.  This ensures you enjoy your new lifestyle, not dread your current diet.

Not only is calories in / calories out easy to maintain, it also has a built in “double feature.” 

If you find a favorite dish with 50 less calories and add a brisk walk a day, that’s a total loss of 100 calories a day.  This will not only help you maintain a great weight, but can give you some cushion for weekend desserts! 

Don’t be afraid of calories in / calories out. 

Make it work for you.

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It is very common to put on weight at this time and while some of this may be due to lifestyle changes, that does not explain why suddenly we develop a tendency to put on weight at different parts of the body, especially the abdomen, while any weight gained when we were younger tended to be centered on the hips.

The truth is that hormonal changes do have a part to play in this, although the process is not completely understood.

At menopause a woman stops ovulating, her monthly menstruation periods end, and her body produces much lower levels of the female hormone estrogen which is responsible for the ovulation process.

Low estrogen has been shown to cause weight gain in animals and it almost certainly is the reason why our bodies change shape.

While women of childbearing age store fat in the lower body, after the menopause they store it on the abdomen instead, like men. This leads to a greater risk of heart disease.

At the same time, both men and women tend to find muscle turning to fat as they grow older, and the metabolism slows down.

This means that if you do not adjust your eating habits you will probably find that your weight increases. A person of 60 just does not need as many calories as a person of 40.
   
Hormone therapy with estrogen is sometimes prescribed to control menopausal symptoms. Many women will be surprised to hear that studies have shown that hormone therapy does not cause weight gain.

Some women experience bloating and water retention in the early stages of hormone therapy but this is usually temporary and they have not gained any fat.

Hormone therapy can reduce the risk of heart disease by preventing the changes in storage of body fat around the abdomen and lowering cholesterol.

However, hormone therapy has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer in some studies.

If you find that you are gaining weight around the menopause, there are several things you can do.

* Eat a healthy, low fat diet with plenty of fiber, avoiding sugar.

* Take regular exercise. As people get older their physical activity levels naturally drop. Work often becomes less physically demanding, there are no kids to run around after, we take less active holidays and do things more slowly. 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day will help to balance out the effect of this.

* Maintain your muscle strength and mass. Use weights for arm muscles and walking or cycling for legs.

* Accept the changes to the shape of your body. If you are not overweight, but simply have a thicker waist and slimmer legs, that is fine.

* Consult with your doctor before starting any exercise program if you have any medical conditions or your fitness levels are low.

* Your doctor can also help with symptoms of the menopause and weight gain.

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Most gyms provide a free workout pass for new people.  This gives you a chance to try out the facilities and see what they have to offer.  If you can, I suggest the following tips when trying out a new facility:

 Location – Think about the time it took to get to the gym.  Is it on your route to work? Is it a traffic packed route?
 
Time – Related to location, go visit the gym at a time you would normally have a chance.  If you only have time to go at 5pm everyday, see how long it takes you to get there at 5pm.  Then, walk around the gym and see how packed it is. 

If you can’t find an open elliptical and that is your favorite cardio machine then consider another time that might work best and try that.  Or, find a gym that has more ellipticals to choose from.
 
Atmosphere – It’s pretty easy to spot a gym that is full of ‘gym bunnies.’  Look at how other people are dressed, how much make up the girls have on, etc.  Depending on your preference this could make or break your whole gym experience.
 
Facility – Bright colors all over the walls giving you headache? Only two showers in the bathroom?  Think about what it would be like to come time and time again to this gym.  If the idea nauseates you, this is not the place to sign up.
 
Equipment – They might have enough ellipticals, but what about free weights? Do they have a pool and/or Sauna? Again, these items may become very important to you.  Think about the long term advantages of your gym membership.
 
Cost/Contract – Are you required to pay for a year up front?  How easy is it to cancel?  Is there a higher cost to a month to month membership?  Always remember to read the fine print. 

When you visit, ask for a blank contract and take it home to look it over at your own pace.
 
Staff – Do you see many staff members around while you do your practice work out? Are they asking you about your opinion?  Do they offer personal training? 

The wisest thing to do is think about all your preferences before you leave to try your new gym.  Write down your “dream” list and take it with you.  That way the sales person can’t convince you that the pool is a fabulous perk if you have no inclination to swim, for example. 

If you can, walk around the facility on your own.  Some gyms refer to a “free workout” when what they really mean is a sales person shows you around and then pushes for the contract.  Never sign a contract for a gym you haven’t broke a sweat in yet! 

Taking a tour is great, but come to work out and expect to do some work after you hear the spiel.

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So when people talk about negative calorie foods, this just means a food whose calorie level is low enough that it takes more energy to eat and digest it than the food contains.

For example, if you consider water to be a food, then cold water is certainly a negative calorie food. It contains no calories at all and the body has to expend energy to bring it up to blood temperature.

So every time we drink a glass of cold water we burn up a couple of calories and lose a little weight. But there are very few foods like this.

Most foods that are on the list do not really use more calories than they add, or if they do the effect is negligible … until you remember that at the same time the body expends energy just to keep alive and breathing.

Celery for example does not give us enough calories to cover both the energy that it takes to digest it, plus the energy that we expend even when we are doing nothing. So that is why people call it a negative calorie food.

Negative calorie foods are most attractive to anorexics. A negative calorie diet would obviously result in starvation in the long term and nutritional deficiencies can occur surprisingly quickly. The calories burnt usually come from muscle mass, and the result is debility and wasting.

A more healthy way to use a negative calorie diet is as a form of fasting or detox. It is something you can do for one to three days right after the Christmas season or another time when you have been eating a over-rich diet.

Provided you are otherwise healthy it can be a great way to clean out the system. However it is still best to take medical advice before attempting this.

If you decide to use a negative calorie detox, keep the following points in mind:

#1. It is never a good idea to eat huge quantities of one type of food, especially fruits. A lot of foods contain substances that can be damaging if consumed to excess. For example, the acid in grapefruit and pineapple can damage your stomach lining. Other foods put an excessive burden on the liver or may cause diarrhea. So try to use all the different foods in small quantities.

#2. Do not spend all day eating. You will just become bloated and feel sick. If you are only doing this for a couple days, you should not feel too hungry. Plan four or five salad meals each day, and let your digestion rest at other times.

#3. You will feel more satisfied if you eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly. You will also use more calories that way. So if the foods can be eaten raw, that will be more effective than cooking them. Foods like carrots and beets will also be more satisfying if you eat them grated.

#4. Schedule time when you do not have any important commitments. As with fasting or any kind of detox, you may suffer some uncomfortable symptoms including headaches, tiredness, depression and irritability. If these become severe, stop the diet and see a doctor.

#5. When you end the detox, plan a gradual return to normal eating.

If all the above points are checked and passed, let’s move on to the list of foods.

    * Zucchini
    * Turnips
    * Tomatoes
    * Tangerines
    * Strawberries
    * Spinach
    * Raspberries
    * Radishes
    * Prunes
    * Pineapples
    * Papayas
    * Onions
    * Lettuce
    * Lemons
    * Lamb’s lettuce
    * Green cabbage
    * Green beans
    * Grapefruit
    * Garlic
    * Garden cress
    * Endives
    * Eggplant
    * Cucumbers
    * Cranberries
    * Celery root
    * Celery stalk
    * Cauliflower
    * Carrot
    * Cantaloupes
    * Broccoli
    * Blueberries
    * Beets
    * Asparagus
    * Apples

I hope this article will prove to be of some use to you and ask that you please use this free list of negative calorie foods wisely.

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Remember that the equipment shouldn’t be too cramped.  However, unlike the retail gym, you won’t be sharing the space with anybody else so no reason to have extra space either.  You just need to measure out enough space for the equipment to have a full rotation, plus any space your actual body will need in the process. 
 
Once you have the size down, start contemplating the type of equipment you’ll need for setting up a home gym.  Are you a runner or walker? Maybe think a treadmill for bad weather days.  Or an elliptical for cross training. 

If you are looking for a full body workout on a machine without the stress of heavy weights contemplate a nice rowing machine.  That would easily work your entire body and it is a relatively easy exercise to learn. Remember that setting up a home gym is all about you.  What you need to be a success.
 
Don’t forget to plan ahead for your fitness goals.  If you like working with dumbbells, consider buying a dumbbell stand.  As you continue on your journey of fitness you will need to challenge yourself with heavier weight. The last thing you want is a nice home gym with dumbbells strewn across the floor.
 
Depending on your personal style, put some thought into the decorating of your home gym.  Think about a mirror to check your form, or a few posters that you like. 

If you are very artsy, why not paint a motivational quote on the wall.  Decorating your space will increase the likelihood that you enjoy working out there.  It would be a shame to go through all the hassle of setting up a home gym, just to hate using it.
 
Decorations also help with overall motivation.  As with any fitness routine, motivation is tied to your success.  When you are working out at home, there isn’t anybody counting on you.  You aren’t missing an appointment or late for a class. 

A big trade off for the convenience of working out at home is the lack of accountability.  So before setting up a home gym, make sure you are committed to your own success!

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