Want to track yourself with fitness, nutrition, heart rate and more?

Here are the top fitness apps for 2015:

http://www.active.com/fitness/Articles/Best-Fitness-Apps-for-2015?cmp=282&memberid=111853049&lyrisid=44766044

While you perhaps may be re-assessing your fitness and overall goals for 2015…remember that you are a work in progress!  If you need to get motivated, inspired, fit & focused~write down your goals and read them aloud each night before you go to sleep.  Visualize, listen and feel yourself striving to attain those goals.  Change doesn't happen overnight.  We all need to figure out what works best for us.

Your Goals should be "SMART" ~ Specific, Measurable, Active, Realistic, Timed

Apple cider vinegar has many healing qualities and keeps your food-intake pH-balanced.  It's so good for you, that it's truly necessary to share this information:

Hippocrates used apple cider vinegar around 400 BC because of its health properties.  It's made from fresh apples which are later fermented and contains pectin, a fiber that regulates blood pressure.  Apple cider vinegar also helps extract calcium from certain foods, therefore strengthening bones.  It's rich in potassium, which removes toxic waste from the body.

Happy New Year!
How are those resolutions coming along?  Aaah…"New Year's resolutions" are similar to fitness~it's a personal decision, your prerogative, you need to figure out what works for you and what doesn't.

Resolutions are goals, really.  If you are serious and determined about them, write them down and post it on your dresser or (if it's weight loss-related especially;)) your refrigerator.  'Best thing to do is share your resolutions with friends so you can stick with the plan.   Strive to attain those goals but take it day by day!  Give yourself little rewards along the way~life is short, but the days can be long….

Here are my 2015 resolutions:

watch this for a lithe inspiration to prepare for the holidays….  I am training to become a Precision Nutrition Fitness Coach~woohoo!

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/fix-a-broken-diet-infographic?utm_source=BrokenDietInfographic&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=BrokenDietInfographicEmail

What do you think about this?

http://themindunleashed.org/2014/04/effects-negative-emotions-health.html

What's in your skincare? You have a right to know.....

Introducing Beautycounter , with a company mission to get safe products into the hands of everyone.

The European Union restricts more than 1300 harmful and toxic chemicals from personal care products, while the U.S. restricts just 11.

At Beautycounter, we've banned more than 1,500 ingredients setting a new health and safety standard—all while ensuring our products perform, and that they're as indulgent as any luxe shampoo, lipstick or oil in the market.

It's not easy work, but it's well worth it.  For more information, go to: www.amandapcollins.beautycounter.com

And, what is the best form of sugar substitute anyway?
Here's the lineup of common sugar substitutes:  honey, pure maple syrup, agave, stevia, and/or fresh fruits.

How They Work
Artificial sweeteners may weaken the body’s ability to identify the delivery of calories into the stomach. When you consume glucose, found in foods and drinks (such as regular soda pop), your taste buds send a message to the brain that says sugar is on its way down to the stomach. Your brain then prepares your stomach to take in the sugar, while your metabolism prepares the body for the incoming calories. When the sugar is replaced by a no-calorie, artificial sweetener, and the calories never reach the stomach, the body is left in a state of confusion. Over time, your body loses the ability to gauge caloric intake, which leads to a tendency to consume more food than needed and thereby gain more weight. 

Right on time for the Holidays~from Womens Health magazine…with a little bit of help from Mo;)
 

Apples 
An apple a day may keep the fat pants away, too. This portable fruit is the perfect snack, with a high water content and both kinds of weight-busting fiber: soluble, which helps prevent blood sugar spikes that lead to cravings, and insoluble, which helps fill you up.  Tip:  Buy organic!!

Eggs                                                         They're a great source of protein, which may be key to keeping you full. A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that when people ate two eggs for breakfast, they took in more than 400 fewer calories over the next 24 hours than when they ate bagels.  It will help you feel full longer.  Tip:  Try Egglands Best eggs.

It's ok to sometimes just eat & sleep
When you fall down, get right back up, shake it off, forget about it, and go on
Be very brave no matter what size
Make your own fun
Unleash your talents
Learn new tricks no matter what age
Make new friends
Sniff out opportunities
Chase after your dreams
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them (!)
At the end of the day, it is best to snuggle no matter what happened
Every day is a brand new day just to be happy

. Which body-weight routine blasts more calories?

• One hour of yoga45 minutes of Pilates

2. Which exercise toasts the most calories?

• 30 minutes of jogging 30 minutes of walking on an incline

3. Which low-impact activity zaps calories faster?

• 45 minutes of ZumbaOne hour on an elliptical trainer

"After conditioning with you privately for 6 months, I was able to surpass my teammates on the fitness tests at the soccer tryouts!" Hannah

"I have thoroughly enjoyed the early morning Reformer class. After 1 year, I am 30 pounds lighter, and much more fit... I am happy I found you!" Kate Sweeney

Here's my horoscope for today:

"Let the energy of the day pull you along.  Welcome change and initiate what you want to see unfold.  It's a 'take-charge' kind of a day, so don't waffle or let someone else take over.  Show your strengths and improve your weaknesses."

Cheers to that on this cold and dreary day!!
 

It's almost Halloween…and I am sure when you stop at the grocery store you will see all sorts of "sugary" foods.  The most outrageous are the "peeps" of marshmallow drenched in oil and coated with sugar.  You may find this afternoons where you feel like a little sugar would not be so bad, right?  To get you through the day?  Here's some reasons why NOT to take a handful of candy corn.

According to the book, Super Immunity, "The key to obtaining incredible health is to eat more fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and other nutrient-rich foods.  Consuming these nutrients in their raw form will give the maximum benefit."

What does this mean?

to do list:

1.  Eat a large salad every day

2.  Buy some raw nuts and seeds~stick 'em in your glove compartment, stash some in your desk at work…have good stuff accessible 

3.  Eat green vegetables every day, raw or cooked~add some in to soups, or stews

not to do list:

Check out this article about Pilates….it says it all

http://www.movenourishbelieve.com/move/5-things-pilates-newbies-kn

I don't know about you…but I have heard a lot about organic foods, and why they are better…but then I look at the prices in the grocery stores and wonder, "Is it really worth it?!"  "Can I start now, and will it make a difference?"

Here are some foods that have the highest pesticides…always buy "organic:"

* celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries, nectarines, bell peppers, spinach, kale, cherries, potatoes, grapes.

click here to view "The Ten Foods To Avoid and Why."

http://www.mercola.com/infographics/10-banned-foods.htm

In the fitness industry right now, "fascia" is the latest buzzword….but watch out, it's could be here to stay!
Fascia is defined as:  A sheet or band of fibrous connective tissue enveloping, separating, or binding together organs and other soft structures of the body.
"Fascia" is multi-layered, and a whole network of connective tissue surrounding individual elements of the body…including organs, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels.  In essence, fascia assists with turning muscle contraction into coordinated movements with minimal wear and tear on your joints.  Research shows that breaking up the tight connective tissue~fascia~surrounding your muscles and joints will help you to move more freely.