• Michelle Obama Has Burger Clout!

    Posted on July 29th, 2011

    I love an occasional cheeseburger every now and then so when I read the outrage regarding Michelle Obama’s hamburger indulgence I was annoyed to say the least.  Of course Lady Obama is the master architect of the Let’s Move Initiative to eradicate childhood obesity in the next generation.  However, Michelle Obama works out regularly and therefore can afford a treat now and then.  Part of the problem with obesity in general is that you’re told it’s an all or nothing approach.  For example, talk to someone who is trying to lose weight and they’ll tell you all the things they can’t eat.  Here’s the tricky part though;  anytime you say that you can’t eat a certain thing oftentimes that food is the very thing you crave. As a result, you may feel  frustrated especially if you want to enjoy an occasional treat now and then.  Making healthy food choices seems to come with a price - never eating your favorite meals again.

    However, eating your favorite dish doesn’t have to be an all or nothing approach.  Let’s go back to the Obama-burger lunch.  Perhaps Mrs. Obama planned her splurge - of course the story didn’t cover that.  Maybe she worked out harder the day before and the day of her lunch.  Maybe she even ate less the following day to account for the calories consumed on burger day.  The point is if you want to cheat,  be sure you’ve planned for it and can make the necessary adjustments to balance things out in the days ahead.

    If Michelle Obama has a hamburger once in awhile, it doesn’t mean that she’s not an ambassador for health and wellness.  All it means is that she has a life that’s balanced and open to the splurges that consistent workouts afford.  You have to know yourself though; if a hamburger meal will derail your progress perhaps choosing your cheat treat such as a burger or milkshake or fries is best.  Listen to your body but most of all enjoy a good meal with some friends - that’s what Mrs. Obama did!

    Posted by valerie

  • Flat Abs, Exercises That Work!

    Posted on July 23rd, 2011

    So you want six-pack abs?  Getting the flat abs you want takes work but as you age, it takes hard work!  If you want to get sleek strong abs you have to do just one thing - train them smarter!  Doing 500 crunches a night will get you nowhere.  Nor will starving yourself or wasting [...]

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    Posted by valerie

  • Ditch the Schedule, Stress Less

    Posted on July 19th, 2011

    Do you ever have those aha moments? I did recently and just had to share it with you. On any given day I’m racing against the clock; between kid drop-offs, appointments, and errand running, I’m “on” all the time. It’s rare that I get a moments to relax. My days start [...]

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    Posted by valerie

  • Weight Loss Plateau: 5 Questions You Need to Answer

    Posted on July 16th, 2011

    Losing those last 10 pounds can be a challenge.  Ask most women over 40 and they’ll say “It takes a long time!”  I don’t care how easy programs claim to be or what the infomercials promise, weight loss as you age gets hard.  You feel like your body is stuck.  For some women you’ve [...]

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    Posted by valerie

  • Curb Sugar Cravings Naturally!

    Posted on July 12th, 2011

    Everyone has a dietary weakness and sweets is a big one for me!  With a history of diabetes in my family I need to be extra careful.  Read any report on sugar and it’s pretty obvious that we need to cut our sugar intake.  Sugar enemies such as high fructose corn syrup are changing our [...]

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    Posted by valerie

  • 3 Myths About Cellulite

    Posted on July 8th, 2011

    Google the word “Cellulite” and you’ll come up with over 31 million results!  It’s no secret that people everywhere want to know how to get rid of cellulite.  Liposuction is commonplace and cellulite products are on the rise.  No wonder that the cellulite industry is booming (no pun intended).  Why are we so cellulite conscious?  [...]

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    Posted by valerie