High-Achieving Women's Blogazine

Sugar, fiber, protein and water – all have a great impact on your overall health.  As a Growth, Success, Acceleration, Healthy Living and Lifestyle Coach, here’s my recommendations for making small changes that will provide great results in your achieving a healthy lifestyle.

Your sugar intake is too high.

According to the American Heart Association, women should have no more than 6 tsp (24 g) of added sugar per day. But many of us get about 22 tsp per day.  Sugar is hiding in places we least expect.

The fix: Learn to identify added sugar in the ingredients lists. It goes by names like high fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, molasses, honey, agave nectar and barley malt syrup.

Watch for added sugar in sauces, dressings and bottled drinks. And be wary of low fat foods. When companies take out fat, they often add sugar to enhance flavor.

You skimp on fiber.

Fiber slows the rate at which your body digests food, so your energy levels remain more stable and you feel full longer, which helps with weight management.

Fiber may also reduce your risk of constipation, heart disease, diabetes and colon cancer. Women need about 25 g per day, yet most of us eat just 10 to 15 g, according to the National Institutes of Health.

The fix: Up the amount of fiber you eat over a few weeks’ time to cut your chances of bloating, and drink more water, which helps fiber move through the digestive tract.

Start the day with breakfast cereals that contain 5 g of fiber or more. Eat a variety of beans and legumes, the skins on fruits and vegetables and whole grains.

You don’t eat enough protein.

Too little protein can’t keep hunger at bay, which can lead to mindless snacking and weight gain. A piece of toast for breakfast isn’t going to hold you as well as a protein-rich egg would. Women need about 46 g of protein per day, according to the Center for Disease Control.

The fix: Try an egg or nonfat or low fat Greek yogurt, which contains about twice as much protein as regular yogurt, for breakfast. Snack on low fat cottage cheese, low fat cheese spread on whole-wheat crackers or nut butter on an apple or banana.

Sprinkle nuts or seeds over salads and soup and eat more beans, soy products and greens such as kale and Swiss chard at lunch or dinner.

You don’t drink enough water.

Not drinking enough fluids can trigger hunger if you’re even slightly dehydrated. While your needs vary each day based on how active you are, how hot and humid it is and how much water-heavy foods you’re eating, here’s a general recommendation: six to eight eight-ounce glasses per day, according to the National Institutes of Health.

The fix: Before snacking, drink a glass of water and re-evaluate how you feel in a few minutes. Up your water’s appeal by adding berries, mint leaves, citrus or cucumber slices.

Drizzle a splash of fruit juice in seltzer water, or try hot or cold herbal teas. Fruits and veggies are about 85% water, and eating them counts toward your daily fluid intake.

P.S. If you want more information on how I lost 55 pounds and the lessons I learned from my personal trainer, you can order my new book: Fit, Fine & Fabulous in Career, Business & Life (Amazon Best Seller).

Click here to purchase the book and receive $2,000 worth of bonus gifts that will catapult your career or business.

P.P.S. Fit, Fine & Fabulous In Career, Business & Life is #11 on Amazon’s paid book list and on the Top 10 list of Kindle books.

I recently read a great article about Kelly Falardeau.  According to Kelly, the questions she is always asked are:

• How do you do that?
• How do you walk out the door with scars on your face?
• How did you start your balloon store?
• How did you create a mobile scrapbook store?
• How did you write your book?
• How did you become a recognized speaker?
• How did you become one of the Top 10 Most Influential Speakers?
• How did you win the People’s Choice Award?
• How did you get over the starring and teasing?
• How did you handle the bullying and name-calling?
• How did you become a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Award?

She said that she gets a gazillion questions about her life on a daily basis.  Kelly had a tragic accident when she was 2 years old and was burned on over 75% of her body, resulting in countless surgeries until she was 21 years old.

She endured the staring, teasing and rejection most of her life.

So how did she accomplish all those above great things?  Very simple – she learned how to take the ‘t’ out of can’t.  She made a radical decision that saying can’t was not an option.  If she wanted something, she had to find a way to get it or forget about it – because can’t was not an option in her household.

If you want more information on how to develop a big vision and develop an “I can mindset” you can order my new book: Fit, Fine & Fabulous in Career, Business & Life (Amazon best seller).  Click here to purchase the book and receive $2,000 worth of bonus gifts that will catapult your career or business.

P.S. Fit, Fine & Fabulous In Career, Business & Life is #11 on Amazon’s paid book list and on the Top 10 list of Kindle books.

As stated in part 1, of Lessons Learned From My Personal Trainer, there are many factors that affect your health.

Some you cannot control, such as your genetic makeup or your age. But you can make changes to your lifestyle. By taking steps toward healthy living, you can help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and other serious diseases.

Here are the next 5 tips.

6. Stretching and flexibility are very important aspects of good physical fitness, so don’t overlook them. Ideally, you should stretch before each workout (both cardio and resistance exercises) and after each workout. If you can’t do both, then make the after stretching a priority.

7. When stretching before a workout, it’s best to stretch after you’ve gotten warmed-up for about 5 minutes (your muscles will be looser).

8. Change your fitness routine every 4-6 weeks to prevent a workout plateau.

9. On days that you really lack motivation or simply do not have time for your complete exercise routine, commit to do just 10 minutes of exercise. You’ll probably end up doing more than that once you get started. Even if you only end up completing 10 minutes, that is still a lot better than zero minutes.

10. When running errands or shopping be sure to pack some healthy snacks.  After you work-up a big appetite, you won’t be tempted to grab something at the mall’s food court or a fast food restaurant on the way home.

Remember, many factors affect your health. Some you can control and some you can’t.  Here’s what you can control: working out regularly, eating properly and getting the right amount of sleep.

In my new book: Fit, Fine & Fabulous in Career, Business & Life I share more of how I pulled it all together physically and mentally.

Be sure to purchase your copy of Fit, Fine & Fabulous In Career, Business & Life.  Click here to purchase and get $2,000 worth of bonus gifts that will catapult your career or business.

There are many factors that affect your health. Some you cannot control, such as your genetic makeup or your age.

You can, however, make changes to your lifestyle. By taking steps toward healthy living, you can help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and other serious diseases.

What steps did I take: signed-up with a personal trainer, started working out and now I also enjoy boxing?

My personal trainer has shared so many invaluable tips with me – so I want to share some of them with you.

Here’s the first five:

1. Replace your sneakers often. At least after every 250 – 500 miles of walking/running.

2. Choose exercises that you enjoy doing. You’ll be more inclined to stick with a fitness regimen when it includes things you like to do.

3. Strive to include a total body regime when you workout. The regime should include cardiovascular exercises, strength training (both upper and lower body), core training and stretching/flexibility.

4. Be sure to measure your exercise intensity. There are several methods: heart rate, rate of perceived exertion, or the talk test.

5. Whenever possible, take the stairs instead of an elevator. Stair climbing is a low-impact alternative to running.

In my new book: Fit, Fine & Fabulous in Career, Business & Life I share more of how I pulled it all together physically and mentally.

In part 2, of Lessons Learned From My Personal Trainer, I will discuss the next 5 tips for healthy living.

Be sure to purchase your copy of Fit, Fine & Fabulous In Career, Business & Life.  Click here to purchase and get $2,000 worth of bonus gifts that will catapult your career or business.