One way to save time during the week (and to stick to plan) is to prepare food ahead of time. I spent part of Sunday afternoon preparing (from left to right, top row to bottom): Spinach Chick Pea Curry, basmatic rice, cucumbers/carrots/hummus, pre-cut cheese pieces (30g) for snack, clementine/pineapple fruit salad (banana will be cut at eating time), 2 bowls filled with my scrambled egg fixings*, 1 bowl with 2 servings of cereal (Kashi, All Bran, soy pieces).

* Scrambled egg fixings: diced low fat cheese, chopped spinach, chopped zucchini and chopped mushrooms. See my recipe: Suzanne’s Low Calorie / High Protein Easy Scrambled Eggs

What can YOU do to save yourself some time this week — and stick to plan?

One great way to keep yourself on track when it comes to weight loss is to create a countdown calendar.

Counting down, instead of counting forward, will give you a greater sense of urgency — and the daily reminder will push you into sticking to plan. It may take a bit of time to do, but it’s definitely worth it in the long run. I’ll guide you through it step-by-step to make it as easy as possible.

Once you’re finished creating your countdown calendar, you’re going to have a solid plan to help you reach your weight loss goals!

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When faced with the decision between delicious foods that aren’t very good for you and healthy foods that don’t taste good, many opt for the foods that taste good. All of the temptations around us can make you wonder whether you should really bother losing weight. It seems like a lot of trouble, but is it really worth it?

The answer is yes. There are a number of ways that losing weight can improve your life:

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Do you find yourself in a mid-afternoon slump at the office? Do you drag yourself home only to collapse onto the sofa and look forward to the day ending so you can get into the bed?

Moving more may be the last thing you think of doing and what you desire the least, but it could be exactly what you need to help you feel alert and less tired when the day comes to a close.

Here are 9 ways exercise can make you feel better:

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Not a bad week, all things considered. Most people would be very happy with a gain in lean body mass. And I am happy about it, believe me! But I need to keep an eye on the fat gain. Granted, a gain of .1lbs is tinyl — it’s the pattern it could represent that’s the problem. If bad eating habits are creeping in, I need to nip it in the bud. Bad eating habits tend to grow — along with your waistline! That’s why a feedback loop is so important.

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It’s hard to find someone who has plenty of time to squeeze in a career, family interaction, and attention to good health or weight loss. Even stay at home moms are swamped with the schedules of their family — not to mention the duties of running a household. If you feel there’s no time to fit in a bit of exercise, you’re wrong. Even the most hectic schedule can afford a few minutes a day, and I’ll show you how!

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I’m sitting here, early Monday morning, a little flabbergasted. When I woke up this morning and realized it was a weigh-in day, I started composing my blog post in my head while I was still in bed trying to wake up. Meaning, before I even weighed-in! Even though I did well food-wise last week, I knew the results would be off because we had friends over for supper on Saturday night. And, well, you know how that goes, right? Wine, appetizer, wine, meat and vegetables, dessert, another small slice of dessert, coffee. I was motivated to eat well and exercise hard on Sunday, believe me. (Cardio Coach 7 was brutal…but in a good way… heh heh.)

I know how my body usually reacts to a week-end like that, but it surprised me this morning. I do believe my body is turning into a fat-burning machine. It finally “gets” what I want it do!

Here are my starting measurements, plus last week’s and this morning’s weigh-in:

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Had some great results this week! And I reached my body fat goal from my last challenge (where I missed by just a small percentage). One thing about goals and deadlines: I’m reading The Body Fat Solution by Tom Venuto (review coming once I finish the book). In it, he talks about setting your goals in pen and your deadline in pencil. In other words, your goal is fixed but the deadline can be a bit more flexible. Not that you shouldn’t be focused on the deadline, but sometimes we underestimate how long something will take.

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French Women Don’t Get Fat

With the popular book “French Women Don’t Get Fat” on bookshelves, many wonder how French women stay slim, especially when our vision of the French diet includes decadent pastries, butter, cream, and other high-fat, high-calorie foods. Despite the rich diet, the percentage of overweight people in France is quite low. How do they do it?

The answer is a combination of many different factors, each of which adds up to a healthy lifestyle. If you were to follow the pattern of the French, you could also enjoy rich foods while staying slim.

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A cardiovascular (cardio) routine is regular exercise that gets your heart pumping. It helps you lose unwanted body fat, gives you a higher energy level and helps you lose weight. But, unfortunately, like all exercise, you actually have to do the exercise to gain the benefit from it.

Exercise doesn’t have to be on your short list of favorite things to do for you to be able to enjoy it and lose weight at the same time. Follow these 10 tips to help motivate you to move your body!

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