burn calories with no exercise.

The Real-Life Way to Lose

Research shows that the little stuff you do all day can add up to big weight loss. 

Five busy women put the theory to the test--with "wow" results.

To lose pounds and keep them off, burning calories is key. Not just at the gym; being active throughout the day can add up to big weight loss, too. James Levine, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, has spent a decade studying the role that everyday movement, or NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), plays in metabolism. His discovery: People who tap their feet, prefer standing to sitting, and generally move a lot and burn up to 350 more calories a day than those who sit still. That adds up to nearly 37 pounds a year!

Fitness expert Chris Freytag has come up with a dozen ways to increase your NEAT level and add short bursts of exercise to your day to amplify your calorie burn. A recent study had five busy women road test the tips while wearing a calorie-counting Bodybugg armband ($300; bodybugg.com) and there are also apps for your smart phone. The results: They burned as many as 500 extra calories a day--without breaking a sweat--and lost up to 7 pounds during our 2-week test. Here's how they did it, and how you can, too!

Ø  Do crunches in bed

Get a jump start on flatter abs before your feet even hit the floor, says Freytag. Simply draw your knees toward your chest 25 to 50 times to rev your energy, tone your belly, and burn 15 to 20 calories. Add a set at night to double your burn.

BURNS UP TO 20 CALORIES IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES!

Ø  Dance while you dress

When tester Lesa Kennedy flipped on her favorite R&B radio station, she burned 55 extra calories as she got dressed and packed lunch. "The beat inspired me to add shakes and shimmies to my usual routine. My daughter loved it, and we started our day off in a great mood," she says.

Ø  Do crunches in bed

Get a jump start on flatter abs before your feet even hit the floor, says Freytag. Simply draw your knees toward your chest 25 to 50 times to rev your energy, tone your belly, and burn 15 to 20 calories. Add a set at night to double your burn.

BURNS UP TO 20 CALORIES IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES!

Ø  Dance while you dress

When tester Lesa Kennedy flipped on her favorite R&B radio station, she burned 55 extra calories as she got dressed and packed lunch. "The beat inspired me to add shakes and shimmies to my usual routine. My daughter loved it, and we started our day off in a great mood," she says.

BURNS UP TO 55 CALORIES IN ABOUT AN HOUR

Ø  Circle the block

Research shows that the more comfortable your clothes, the more active you'll be throughout the day. Make it a rule to wear shoes comfy enough for a 5-mile walk, and look for ways to add bits of strolling all day long. Lap the grocery store before you pick up your first item, take a 15-minute midday walk, or try tester Elizabeth Lissmann's tip: "At work I take the stairs to use a bathroom on a different floor."

BURNS UP TO 375 CALORIES THROUGHOUT THE DAY

Ø  Stand up more

With their jam-packed days, our testers are no strangers to multitasking. But Freytag found that they could boost their metabolism simply by spending more time on their feet. Rather than sitting on a bench while her children played at the park, for example, tester Melissa Fitzgerald walked around the playground area for 15 minutes and melted 50 extra calories. Kennedy torched 120 more calories in an hour by standing during her daughter's dance class. "All the other moms repeatedly offered me a seat," she says. "They couldn't understand why I would want to stand!"

BURNS UP TO 200 CALORIES IN ABOUT AN HOUR

Ø  Take a comedy break

Research shows that laughing for 10 to 15 minutes (like when watching a funny half-hour sitcom) can burn about 40 calories. It's a small number by itself, says Freytag, but a daily chuckle could add up to a loss of about 4 pounds over a year. That motivated Lissmann to look for humor throughout the day, such as watching comedy sketches on YouTube during a lunch break.

BURNS UP TO 40 CALORIES IN ABOUT 15 MINUTES

Ø  Park Poorly

How many of us cruise around a busy restaurant ten times trying to find a prime parking spot? In reality, parking farther away and then walking four or five blocks, even if it's in a suit or dress, isn't really that bad. You'll not only burn calories and get a little exercise on your way to your meal, but research has proven you store less fat from a large meal if you go for a brief jaunt afterwards.

If you really want to burn more calories without exercising, you should never be looking for the best parking spot. Instead, find the most undesirable parking spot imaginable--up a hill, down an alley, and through the bushes. Huff and puff your way to and from dinner using all that extra oxygen to burn calories and watch the pounds melt away.

Post your own ideas of how to burn more calories while not exercising. Be creative and keep working hard.

We are half way through the competition! It has been a lot of fun competing with this team of psychos!  The team spirit has inspired me and I am about to go to my 2nd training for a 5K!  Unbelievable!!  Everyone remember to drop your rocks tomorrow!

Tasty granola bars

SIMPLY FRUIT AND NUT BARS

I love granola bars but often packaged bars are processed and loaded with added sugars. This recipe contains only sweetness from dried fruits and tastes delicious. These bars are quick to throw together and are perfect for those of us on the go!

Ingredients

• 1 cup spelt flour (I used spelt but you could prob. use whole wheat)
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• ½ cup pitted prunes (around 11 prunes)
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup dried apricots
• 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
• 2 T cacao nibs (optional)
• ⅓ cup water + approx. 1-2 T

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Cover an 8-inch x 8-inch pan with parchment paper.
2. Place prunes, raisins and apricots in a mini-chopper or food processor and pulse until well chopped.
3. Combine flour, oats, chopped fruit mixture, nuts, cacao nibs and 1/3 cup water in a large bowl and knead with your hands until a ball of dough forms. (Add more water if the mixture is too dry.)
4. Press dough firmly and evenly into the prepared pan. Cut into squares with a sharp knife before placing in the oven.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, until baked through but still soft (don’t overbake them or the bars will be dry and tough).
6. Store leftover bars in the refrigerator.

Low cal Chicken Dinner

I prepared this meal on Saturday. It was awesome and fairly quick and easy. Give it a try.

2 servings
Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and tenders removed (see Tip)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 1 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps
• 2 tablespoons dry vermouth, or dry white wine
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives, or scallion greens

Preparation:

1. Season chicken with pepper and salt on both sides.
2. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once or twice and adjusting the heat to prevent burning, until brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, 12 to 16 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
3. Add shallot to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2 minutes. Pour in vermouth (or wine); simmer until almost evaporated, scraping up any browned bits, about 1 minute. Pour in broth and cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cream and chives (or scallions); return to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pan, turn to coat with sauce and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

Tips & Notes:

• Tip: It's difficult to find an individual chicken breast small enough for one portion. Removing the thin strip of meat from the underside of a 5-ounce breast—the “tender”—removes about 1 ounce of meat and yields a perfect 4-ounce portion. Wrap and freeze the tenders and when you have gathered enough, use them in a stir-fry or for oven-baked chicken fingers.

Nutrition Information:

Per serving: 275 calories; 15 g fat ( 5 g sat , 7 g mono ); 84 mg cholesterol; 5 g carbohydrates; 25 g protein; 1 g fiber; 373 mg sodium; 370 mg potassium.

Hello

I have arrived on the Blog.  Had to have a little help from Gymguy.  Every week I have complained because of different activities I had going on and this week is no different.  Valentine's and also my son's 16th Birthday.  He's asked for a homemade cake that I make.  Pray from me that I don't eat but one slice and no Candy this week!  I will be going to the gym at least 4 days this week.  Hope this helps curtail the Cake and Birthday Dinner! 

Hanging inThere

Disappointing result last week.  Renewed attitude this week.  Already making accountability plans to continue my weight loss plan after tean lean.  Peachie247

Control your appetite

FEED ME!

10 Smart Ways to Control Your Appetite

Trying to lose a few pounds? A large part of eating too much is about our appetite; if we could only get that under control the weight would simply fall off. Here are a few strategies.

1. Water

Can water help you stay full? Well, I know after I drink several glasses of water I get filled up and eat less. In fact, some studies support this notion. Water can help you lose weight by keeping you feeling full and helping to reduce your consumption of other high-calorie drinks (and foods).

A recent study found that over the course of 12 weeks, dieters who drank water before meals three times per day lost about 5 pounds more than other dieters. Try drinking about two 8-oz. glasses before each meal.

2. Nuts

There are many different types of nuts with a plethora of health benefits. In addition to their other benefits, nuts (almonds, pistachios, walnuts, Brazil nuts, etc.) can help fend off hunger. They're high in fiber and protein—both hunger fighters. Just make sure to limit your portions to about 1 oz., because nuts are high in calories, too.

3. Naturally Occurring Fiber

Foods that are naturally high in fiber (e.g., 100 percent whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes) fill you up because they take up room in your stomach and slow digestion.

Why only “naturally occurring” fiber? According to the journal Nutrition Review, inulin (often added to foods as fiber) may help you go to the bathroom in the same way natural fiber does, but it doesn’t have the same effect on slowing down stomach-emptying (making you feel full longer) or helping to lower cholesterol.

4. Sleep

When you're tired, you're less likely to make the healthiest food choices. And many sleep-deprived people believe, they "deserve" to eat something sugary and fatty. Finally, a few studies have demonstrated that lack of sleep leads to an increase in the hormone ghrelin (which tells the body to eat) and a decrease in the hormone leptin (which tells your body to stop eating).

Studies show that you need roughly 7 and a half to 8 and a half hours of sleep to get the benefits for diet and exercise. You should have a regular bedtime seven days per week. Also, check your mattress and box spring. When was the last time you replaced them?

Make sure your room temperature is comfortable. Get rid of the TV in the bedroom. And make your sleep environment quiet—aesthetically and in terms of noise.

5. Watch a Comedy

According to an article in the journal Appetite, watching a comedy can reduce your appetite. In the study, one group watched a 7.5-minute clip of an animated comedy with a plate of cookies in front of them, while the control group did not watch the film. The comedy group ate about one medium chocolate chip cookie less than the control group.

6. Eat More Veggies

Veggies help you lose weight because they're high in fiber and water (see above), plus you get a lot of food for few calories. For instance, for the same 227 calories in one brownie you could eat 7.5 cups of broccoli.

7. Soup

Because soups are water-based, they tend to make you feel less hungry without adding too many calories, so you eat less. Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition at Penn State University, has led several studies that show soup can help you lose weight when consumed prior to a meal.

One study found that eating soup prior to your meal could reduce your total consumption by as much as 100 calories. There are many great-tasting, low-calorie soups by Campbell’s, Healthy Choice and Amy’s Kitchen. Just watch out for the sodium, and keep the calories under 100 per cup.

8. Limit Alcohol

Alcoholic drinks are like liquid doughnuts. Alcohol impairs judgment, which means that you eat and drink more. To top it off, most people enjoy eating high-calorie, high-sodium snacks when they drink. Alcohol can be especially harmful to dieters because it may cause blood sugar levels to drop, which can stimulate your appetite.

Try some good, lower-calorie drink options: red or white wine, wine spritzers and drinks made with seltzer or club soda. And steer clear of drinks that are really desserts (e.g., cream or ice cream drinks).

9. Reduce Stress

When you're stressed, your body releases cortisol, a hormone designed to help you either fight or flee. But when the cause is not a lion about to attack but rather a stressful e-mail, the cortisol may trick your body into thinking it has done something active in response to a perceived threat and send a signal to your brain to refuel your body.

The other biological reason why stress can derail your diet is that carbs help you feel better. Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., co-author of The Serotonin Power Diet (Rodale, 2008), was the first to connect food with mood when she found that carbohydrates boosted a potent brain chemical called serotonin, which controls mood, sleep and appetite and, when elevated, helps you to feel more relaxed and calm.

When stressed, we long for comfort foods such as brownies, doughnuts, candy, ice cream, pizza, mashed potatoes and fried chicken. One reason is that your parents probably gave you an ice cream when you had a bad day at school or when you lost the big game, so these are what you’re used to having in times of discomfort.

10. Eat Less Saturated Fat

A study done at the University of Cincinnati and reported in Brain Research proposes that human beings can learn how much food they should eat to be at a healthy weight. However, the researchers found that diets high in fat impair the function of the hippocampus, which results in less ability to notice the “stop eating” cues. Bottom line: Lower your intake of saturated fats by eating lean meats and low-fat dairy.

Num Bum Syndrone

Num Bum Syndrome

I recently became aware of a serious condition Numb Bum Syndrome. It occurs to me now that others may not be familiar with this serious condition for which they may be at risk! Therefore, I feel a pressing need to describe this all to common (yet preventable) ailment.

What is Numb Bum Syndrome?

The Numb Bum Syndrome is a physiological condition caused by sustained pressure to the buttocks, resulting in restricted blood flow, nerve damage, and reduced muscular strength. Related to this syndrome is a condition referred to as FAE or Flat A__ __ Effects.

Who is at risk?

Men and women, usually in the age range of 20-50 whose job duties entail sitting at a desk all day to complete stacks of important documents (IEP’s, Summaries, Reviews and Transition plans). Individuals with this condition often can be found on cubical farms, in classrooms and in offices all across America.

Signs/Symptoms:

•     Numbness, tingling, and soreness in buttocks
•     Skin may have temporary red discoloration (also known as BRH - Big Red Hiney)
•     Long-term symptoms include a flat and/or sagging gluteus appearance and No-assatal.

Treatment:

A regimen of light to heavy cardio, strength training, and stretching exercises may be prescribed depending on severity of symptoms.

Prevention:

•          Frequent walking, movement, and exercise
•          Bike riding, spin class, group muscle class
•          Avoid long periods of sitting

 As you can see, the Numb Bum Syndrome, while serious, is also preventable. And if you have already experienced symptoms of Numb Bum Syndrome (I tend to have recurring bouts of this condition), there's still hope! This ailment is very treatable with a high rate of recovery! Get up and move;

Note: I made up this syndrome! It is not a true medical diagnosis, although I think it should be! :-)

Calories?

All calories are NOT created equal

In todays diet crazed culture, calorie counting and tracking daily tallies for protein grams are rampant. A quick search for “diet” shows that there are hundreds of free or inexpensive iphone apps to track the details of what you eat, your exercise and weight loss. Yet with all this technology and information we are a society that is confused about what, when and how much to eat. All of this calculating has led us away from viewing our diets as what it is truly supposed to be made up of: Food. Instead we all get caught up in quantifying macronutrients like carbs, proteins and fats. Recently, I have found juicing or Rebooting to be the answer to healthy eating and weight loss. Here is some information that may help you and I'll try not to get too technical.

What is a calorie? A calorie (also known as kilocalorie) is a measurement of energy. It is defined as the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius.* But most of the time we don’t talk about the science of calories but boil this measurement down to “too much” or “not enough.” The science of calories shows that restricting or having a bit less then we need to maintain our weight is best for promoting longevity and other aspects of health and wellness. We are all too familiar with the down-sides of “too many” calories like weight gain and increased risk for many diseases. The big question is, does it matter where we get our calories from? This is a hot topic that is disputed by just about everyone you ask in the medical field, fitness circles or on the street. Some say we should eat a “Low Carb, High Protein diet” or a “Low Fat diet” or a “Low Carb, High Fat diet. Other research shows that it doesn’t matter where the calories come from just the total amount is relevant. Are you feeling confused? Me too. In the case of "Rebooting" or juicing you are eating and drinking food. This is what I’d like us to focus on.

To make these energy sources truly “count” with regard to your health getting most if not all of them from plant foods is best. For example, Joe Cross (The Juice Guy) loves to talk about how he could put us on a 1300 calorie per day “Cheeseburger Diet” instead of ~1300 calories per day from mostly green juice during a Reboot. That would be 2 big cheeseburgers per day. On both plans we would have surely lost some weight. But you don’t need to be a scientist to figure out which of these two diets is best for our overall health!

One of the best parts about the Reboot/Juicing diet is that because of the nature of the foods you are ingesting – all fruits and vegetables with some herbs and spices which are each packed with potent phytonutrients– you can tune in and listen to your body to figure out the “right amount” for you to consume each day. There are some general guidelines such as:
• Strive for mostly veggies with some fruits (like 80% veg and 20% fruit)
• Drink or eat 4-6 times per day
• Drink plenty of water

As I have incorporated juicing into my lifestyle, I have found that I need less calorie intake to remain satisfied and energetic over the day. I drink about 16 oz of juice 3 to 4 times per day (1000 to 1500 calories per day depending on the ingredients). Hard and fast calculations and counting are not a requirement of the Reboot, and can actually get in the way of allowing you to tap into your own internal cues for hunger and fullness. Learning how to self-regulate your eating and knowing when to have more and when you are finished can take practice, but this system is something we are hard wired with as humans.

The types of foods we choose to eat or drink can also help us to stay in tune with our hunger and satiety signals. Foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains are full of the nutrients are body is requesting. When we experience hunger it is really our body asking for energy and nutrients. The easiest ways to recognize when we are full is to include high fiber and high nutrient dense foods that are minimally processed. The fiber expands in our stomach triggering nerves that tell our brain we’ve had enough. The nutrients get delivered around the body and these delivery sites also signal to our brain that we’ve consumed enough through different pathways or mechanisms. With juice, although the insoluble fibers are removed, the soluble fiber remains to play its role in hunger and fullness recognition. However, I believe that the main reason juice helps us feel so satisfied is the huge amount of nutrients we can easily absorb through the delivery system of fresh juice.

If you think a Reboot or Juicing plan is right for you, give me a call.

Ok, I finally got on the blog!! I'm working hard in NYC so I don't think that what I'm eating will be a problem when I get back! I wish I had a pedometer to see how much I have walked! Hope everyone there is staying out of the icing!!

Kids and Fitness

OK, lets face it. We have all been around a long time. Feel better now? I hope so! But seriously, we have spent a tremendous amount of our lives around kids. In our family lives and in our career, we interact with high energy children. Recently, I spent some time in the child care center at my church. This experience reminded me of my own kids and how they always seemed to be in motion and having fun. As I think about this in relation to our weight and fitness challenges, I am convinced that there is so much we can learn about being fit from an eight year old. Here's my list of things I learn:

1. Exercise Is More Fun With A Friend

Running laps by yourself is good and all, but really not too fun. Playing tag, on the other hand is awesome! Its just loads of fun and you forget that you are exercising at all! That is, until you have to lie down in the grass and gasp for air. I do run, and I’m not out of shape, but chasing and running away from 8 year old kids is exhausting. I’m not entirely sure, but I think that playing tag with kids (or other likeminded grown ups) is way better exercise than running laps (and definitely more fun!)

2. Don’t Be Afraid To Get Dirty And Look Silly

I was thinking how “fashionable” exercising has become. As I teach my classes at the gym, I sometimes see and hear competitiveness between people. A little competition with the guy next to me and mentally judging who had the cutest exercise outfit, and who looked best mid-workout when your face is all flushed and your hair was all sweaty (because anyone can look good under the proper conditions, but if you were still hot while squatting forty pounds, well…) Just some crazy mind-chatter. But 8 year olds don’t give a crap about what you wear when you play. As long as it doesn’t get in the way when you’re trying to shimmy up the oak tree! Plus wild looking hair gives you that “crazed animal” look that really gives you the edge when playing “Mad Dog”.

3. Laughing Gives You Abs

No joke! When’s the last time you laughed till you cried? I spent the morning laughing at EVERYTHING (because kids thinks everything is funny and laughter is infectious) and when I got home that evening it felt like I had spent the day doing planks and those Pilates ab movements that just kill you… and I wasn’t even trying to work those darn trans-abdominals!

4. When You’re Tired; Stop

Have you ever just skipped a section of a workout because you knew it was too hard for you? Well, I’m guilty of this. Instead of trying to do it, when I know I might not be able to do the whole round, I just don’t do it! For me, pushing the pause button was a sign of defeat! But kids push the pause button to the point I think is not fair (like calling a time-out right when I’m about to tag them!). Children can play for hours like this! I can make it through one gruesome hour of workout and then I’m exhausted and feel like throwing up! Sometimes I can’t even finish the workout because I feel sick. I think I need to learn how to call time-outs more often.

5. If It’s Not Fun, Don’t Do It

A lot of people I know lose interest in workout routines because the long term physical benefits don’t seem to make up for the short term lack of anything remotely enjoyable. If you don’t enjoy your exercise, chances are you aren’t going to stick to it. What the eight year olds taught me that day is that you don’t have to “exercise” to stay fit. They wouldn’t “exercise” if it meant they could stay up all night and eat candy, but they still burn more calories than any other living being, simply by keeping active and finding fun stuff to do. I think as adults, we can learn from this and think outside the box when it comes to fitness. Why not try rock climbing, Frisbee, soccer, Taekwondo; basically anything that’s fun and keeps you moving and active. I learn a lot from kids, but the thing they constantly remind me to do is have fun!

You ROCK!

Don't forget to "ROCK" in after you have weighed in. We need some pebbles.

Walking to loss weight

WALKING FOR WEIGHT LOSS: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How does walking compare to running?

Walking can provide the same benefits as a running program. General health benefits are acquired from any walking program. For the best cardio benefits the key is walking fast enough to get your heart rate up. Walkers will miss fewer days due to injury than runners while achieving similar improvements in aerobic conditioning.

Should I use hand weights while walking?

No! The risks far out weigh the benefits. Hand weights can be a great part of your fitness routine, but use them separate from your walk. Carrying weights will not provide the resistance needed to tone your muscles; but can increase your blood pressure, place strain on ligaments and tendons and may contribute to joint problems. You will actually be able to walk faster without carrying the weights, therefore getting a better workout.

How many calories do I need to burn to lose one pound?



One pound of body fat is equal to 3500 calories. A healthy rate of weight loss is approximately one to two pounds per week. If you are losing faster than that you may be losing bone and muscle mass in addition to fat. In order to average one pound per week it would be necessary to burn an additional 500 calories per day. (7 days a week X 500 calories per day = 3500 calories.)

If you do not have the time or energy to burn the additional 500 calories a day you can use a combination of calorie reduction and exercise; such as burning 300 calories a day through exercise and reducing calorie intake by 200 calories.

How many calories are burned walking one mile?



• • 
    

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    • This will vary depending on the individual, speed walked, terrain, etc. An average is 100 calories per mile. 
  
  
  
  
  

On Board

Blogging is a good idea.  How is everyone doing motivation wise.  I find myself still motivated; hopefully I will not lose it when I hit a plateau.
V

Help Me!

Let us know when you are about to blow it for the team...For instance, right now I really want some buttercream icing from Publix, but as long as I am blogging, I know I will keep my nemesis at bay. Publix has closed for the night so I am safe for now.