Do you know the answer right away, or are you confused about which way you view your events?

Are you worried if you will have enough food at the event?
Are you worried about what dishes people will bring (ie: too many desserts, not enough salads, not enough variety, etc.)
Are you worried about what will happen to the leftovers?
Are you worried about planning your event around meal-times?

Are you answering yes to these questions??!! If so, what if you didn’t worry about what would happen if didn’t worry about food as it relates to your event? What if you ate a healthy meal before the event, so you didn’t have to worry about what food would be served at the party? What would happen if you focused on visiting with the people at your event, rather than what was food was being served.

While an “all or nothing” mentality is not sustainable, forcing yourself to thing about events differently may help you manage your choices going forward. Use these tools to help you make more thoughtful choices:

In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto
Holiday Weight-Loss Tips
15 Tips To Lose Annoying Holiday Pounds

Saturday night I was lying in bed reading when my 13-year-old brought me a cup of tea to “help me sleep”, he said. I had a quick flashback of Saturday nights of years past: being out on the town, socializing until all hours. This was followed by a bit of sadness realizing those days are over and my responsibilites have changed – as well as my age.

The next day I came across this article and realized the only thing stopping me from enjoying the things I want to enjoy is ME, not my age. I’m in better shape than I’ve been most of my adulthood and in a great place in my life. Check out this quiz to find your emotional age – and ignore your driver’s license from now on!

Stay young with these tools:

Strong Women Stay Young
Eat To Stay Young
Self Magazine 1-Year Subscription

Benefits of kettlebells
Kettlebells provide a full-body workout because you need to use your entire body, specifically your core, to lift and control the weight. You will get both a strength and stability workout at the same time, and it’s a great option if you wish to work multiple muscle groups at once.

Prevent injury
Be sure to use kettlebells at a class or using a DVD workout led by a certified trainer. Kettlebells can cause injury if used incorrectly, so start with light weights. The biggest mistake you can make is lifting a kettlebell that is too heavy and not being able to control it. Kettlebells range from 2 pounds to 100 pounds, so you can start small and work your way up.

History of Kettlebells
What once was old is new again! Kettlebells date back hundreds of years to Russian origin. A kettlebell appears as a Russian training tool in a dictionary dating back to 1704. A Russian strong man was referred to as a kettlebell man, a “girevik”. (Girya is Russian for Kettlebell.)

Train at home
If you can’t find a kettlebells class near you, try these tools and train in your own home:

Beginners Kettlebells DVD – Recommended by Prevention Magazine
Kettlebells Set
The Firm Kettlebells Kit
Kettlebells for Dummies training book

1) Enjoy every bite! Take time when eating your meal. Focus on your food and enjoy every bite! Mindful eating will help you recognize feelings of hunger.

2) Use small plates and bowls Just because your place setting comes with a large dinner plate, doesn’t mean you should use it. Use a smaller plate to make your portions look bigger and you won’t even realize it!

3) Count portions If you’re tempted to eat from a full box of crackers, portion them out into Ziploc bags when you get home from the grocery store. Always pay attention to labels. Often times packaged food will contain more than one serving.

4) Keep a food journal You may not realize how much you’re eating. Every bite, lick and taste counts calorie-wise. Write down all the food you eat and how you’re feeling at the time you’re eating it. This will help you recognize your weaknesses in the future.

5) Get a doggie bag Before you even begin to eat your entree at a restaurant, pack away half of it to go home. If it’s off your plate from the start, you won’t miss it!

Start now! Buy your Ziploc bags here!

Often times we turn to food to satisfy feelings of anger, boredom or even happiness. If you are trying to lose weight or eat more healthy, this can be extremely detrimental. This often starts when we are children when parents use food as a reward for good behavior or as a soother when we are upset. It’s time to change this behavior!

When you start to crave food, ask yourself:

1) Why am I hungry? If it’s because you are physically hungry, then you should eat something! If not, then:

2) Why am I craving food? Ask yourself what emotion you are feeling. If you are angry, try talking it out with a friend. If you’re bored, pick up a hobby and keep your hands busy. If you’re celebrating, try rewarding yourself with a non-food item.

3) What next? If you’ve tried all of the above and you are still feeling hunger, try something else. Drink a glass of water because you may just be thirsty! Try going for a walk because exercise can suppress your appetite (and burn calories!) Or, brush your teeth so you won’t feel like eating!

The first time I attended boot camp class at my gym, this is the test I thought of. However, while I am much older now, I have trained my mind to be confident and my body to challenge. I think I could do better at the test now than I could back then!

My favorite things about boot camp class:

1) It’s timed. “Do as many push-ups as you can” sounds much more brutal than “Do as many push-ups as you can in 30 seconds.” There is an end in sight!

2) It’s easy. Don’t bother with memorizing steps or dance routines. You already know how to run, squat and do a jumping jack.

3) Do it anywhere. No fancy equipment needed – you just need to work with your own body’s resistance. Check out these at-home boot camp workouts:

The Biggest Loser Boot Camp

The Firm Boot Camp

Skinny Bitch Fitness Boot Camp

Denise Austin’s Boot Camp

For more information on boot camp, here is a great article from Women’s Health magazine.

As you know, this can be extremely frustrating. But, you are not alone. Maintaining weight loss can be even more difficult than losing it for the first time. In fact, the majority of people who lose tend to gain it back and then some. Positively, people who lose weight and keep up their healthy habits for two years are said to have made a lifestyle change in which you are more likely to keep the weight off for good.

If you need some re-motivation to get your weight loss back into gear, try these tips:

1) Assess yourself. How do you currently look and feel, and how do you wish to look and feel?

2) Back to basics. What motivated you the first time you lost weight? What foods were you eating (or not eating!)? What was your exercise routine? Re-visit the past and pull from that success.

3) Set realistic goals. Make small goals for yourself like, “I will take a walk three times this week” or “I will start drinking water instead of soda.” Let someone know your goal for some added accountability. If you reach your goal, give yourself a small non-food reward.

4) Use your tools. You know how to do this because you’ve done it before! Get some support and use tools to help you get there. Use this guide that can help you tackle problems like eating from boredom or emotional eating.

What is your goal? Whether it’s losing 10 lbs, running a 5K race or cutting out soda, your task may seem difficult to tackle. The key is to break down your goal into manageable steps and accomplish a little bit along the way to reaching your ultimate goal. Once you reach your once seemingly unattainable goal, you will hold the confidence to accomplish even more!

Try these steps to help you complete your current goal:

1) Define your goal – on paper – and read it often.

2) List the benefits. Why do you want to accomplish this goal? What are the benefits? How do you see yourself looking and feeling once you’ve accomplished this goal? Use these items as motivation.

3) What is the first actionable step toward your goal? If you want to lose 10 lbs., how will you start? Will you join a gym or weight loss support program? If you want to run a 5K, first you’ll need to find a training program and buy any gear you may need like new running shoes. If you want to cut out soda, your first step may be cutting down to 1 or 2 sodas per day. Figure out your first actionable step and write it down.

4) Get support. Find a family member or friend you can offer you encouragement and accountability along the way. Or, better yet, enlist someone to accomplish the goal with you.

5) Keep a record of your progress. If you lost a pound, record it and celebrate it! Keeping track of small accomplishments will encourage you to keep going.

6) Don’t give up! If you have a setback or don’t complete something within a specific timeframe, don’t quit. Healthy changes are for a lifetime and there is no need to race to the finish. Keep at it and don’t give up!

Check out this workout from FITNESS magazine and slim down in a splash!

Don’t forget to get your swim accessories:

Goggles
Nose Clip
Kickboard
Swim Cap
Lap Counter

I found this tutorial on youtube.com and decided to share with you for several reasons:

1) It’s important to practice proper form when doing strength exercises, especially push-ups. This video displays how to use proper form and shows which muscles you should be working.

2) Push-ups are one of the best exercises I can think of – they engage your back, legs, arms and abominals.

3) The entertainment value of this video is priceless. You could do 100 push-ups to the music alone!