Revving Up Your Metabolism

What is Metabolism?

Metabolism can be described as the rate at which your body burns calories in order to function. This includes, breathing, converting your food to energy, blood circulation and organ function, basically anything your body needs to support life.

Basal Metabolic Rate

Your Basal Metabolic Rate( BMR) or “resting metabolic rate” refers to the number of calories your body burns per day while you are at rest, just to keep your body working. Each person”s BMR will vary since it is based on your body composition. The more lean muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolic rate. The reason for this is that lean muscle mass burns a lot more calories than fat. Every pound of “fat-free” mass burns about 14 calories but the equivalent of “fat” mass only burns about 2 calories. So, for an example, if you have about 100 pounds of lean muscle mass, your body will burn about 1400 calories in a day, before you do any kind of exercise or activity.

How Can You Increase Your Metabolism?

One way to increase your metabolism is to increase your lean muscle mass. It’s logical that if lean muscle mass burns more calories, then the more you have, the more calories you will burn. You could do some strength training to build muscle.

Cardiovascular exercise is a great way to burn calories. If you go to a gym, try the tread mill, or bicycle or elliptical machines. Outside of the gym, go for a walk and maybe carry some small weights for an extra workout.

Even the little things you do during the day can help. Walk to the corner store instead of drive, take the stairs whenever you can, even using body gestures like talking with your hands or fidgeting can add up to activity.

What Happens If You Cut Calories?

it is true that if you cut down on the number of calories you take in in a day, that your metabolism will slow down and you will feel more hungry. Not a good scenario if you are trying to lose weight! Your body tries to preserve your energy as much as possible. But you can offset this small change by exercise ( as we discussed how exercise can increase your metabolic rate). Also, protein snacks are a great way to satisfy your hunger and since you are getting protein, you are helping your body build more lean muscle mass.

There are also natural weight management enhancers that can help you boost your metabolism ( “Total Control” by Herbalife is one of my favourites ). They supply you with natural ingredients ( such as different teas known for their value in increasing energy) that can help stimulate thermogenesis ( the body creating energy by increasing the metabolic rate).

Go For The Boost!

So do yourself a favour. Get out there and boost that metabolism. Get more energy, feel better for it and stay healthy everyone.

How Much Protein Do You Need?

Protein is important for us in so many ways. It is a macro-nutrient which means we need a large amount of it in our diet. Our body is constantly using protein and it is important to pretty well every cell in our body. ( To see what importance protein has, please check out my blog on Protein)

So..how much protein do we need? That will vary on each person, depending on their weight and their body composition. I have included a video put out by HerbalifeIntl that does an excellent job outlining how we can determine we need personally. I’m sure you will find it very useful.

As an Independent Herbalife Distributor, I would like to give a plug for our herbal nutrition products. Our weight management products and protein snacks give you a good supply of protein.Our meal replacement shakes provide about 18 grams per serving and our protein snacks provide anywhere from 10 to 16 grams of protein depending on which one you choose (our protein bars are awesome!!). We also have a Protein Drink Mix that provides 15 grams of heart-healthy soy protein and a Protein Powder with 5 grams of soy and whey protein and all 9 essential amino acids.

If you are interested in Herbalife products, you can go to my website http://herbal-nutrition.net/sueh where you can find our full product line, or you can visit Herbalife’s own website http://herbalife.com that is full of information on their products.

Here is the video I promised on protein.

I wish you all health and happiness.

Sue

Vitamin D

I think we all know that Vitamin D is important because it helps keep our bones strong. The reason for this is that Vitamin D helps to promote calcium absorption which we need for strong bones and teeth.

How Do We Get Vitamin D?– One of the main sources is the sun. It seems that recommended amounts of sun vary from 5 to 30 minutes a day, twice a week. There are factors that affect how much sun you get like cloud cover, skin pigment and sun screen. And of course, you have to be careful not to get too much sun since it has been associated with skin cancer.

There are certain foods that also offer Vitamin D. These include fish such as salmon and tuna, cheese, egg yolks and of course milk. I checked the nutrition facts on a bag of milk I had in my fridge ( I use skim milk….not sure if all milk is the same ) and it says that 1 cup or 250 ml. of milk supplies you with 45% of your daily required intake. So.. two cups of milk and you are close to your required amount!

Vitamin D Deficiency– If you don’t take in enough Vitamin D, of course your calcium levels are lower which affects bone growth. Over a long period of time this can lead to osteoporosis which means low bone mass and deterioration of bone density , leading to bone fractures.

In infants, Vitamin D deficiency can lead to Rickets which is characterized by soft bones and skeletal deformities.

Too Much Vitamin D– If you take in too much Vitamin D it can raise your calcium levels too high which can lead to heart damage, kidney damage and kidney stones. There are other problems being researched that I don’t want to get into because  these studies “suggest” connections to certain health problems, implying to me that it is not for sure proven yet.

How Much Vitamin D Do We Need?– There seems to be a wide variance in the answer to this question, but from what I can tell, 1000 I.U’s seems to be the norm. If you aren’t getting enough through sunlight and food, then a supplement is recommended. And of course there are different requirements for infants and young children (they need less) and older people (who need more because as we age our skin doesn’t seem to use the Vitamin D from the sun to it’s full extent and older people don’t seem to get out in the sun as much)

If you are not sure what your Vitamin D requirements are, then please see your doctor and find out. What you can do is watch your diet, get outside and exercise and be conscious of what you put in your body. Sounds like common sense to me!

As an Independent Herbalife Distributor, I depend a lot on Dr.Luigi Gratton, who is the Vice president of Medical Affairs for Herbalife, for his opinion, knowledge and advice. I have included a short video of his on the subject of Vitamin D. Hope you enjoy.

Take care everyone. I wish you all health and happiness.

Sue

Carbohydrates

If you are anything like me, the topic of carbohydrates can be a little confusing. Sure, I know that whole grain breads and brown rice are better than white bread or white rice, but my knowledge didn’t go too much beyond that. Some carbohydrates are actually good for you and it definitely helps to understand carbs if you know what they are and what they do.

Carbohydrates come in three basic forms….sugars, starches and fibre. A carbohydrate is basically a sugar molecule that is broken down by the body, converted to glucose and used as energy. We need energy!

1) Sugars: These carbs are not actually good for you. You can find these in candy, soda and refined or processed foods.

2) Starches: These can be found in fruits, vegetable and whole grains. These carbs are good for you. When you eat them they will keep you going for a longer period of time. As an example, you can find these in brown rice or whole wheat bread as opposed to white rice or white bread.

3) Fibre: Fibre is an exception as far as carbs go because it can not be broken down into sugar and so passes through the body undigested. The water soluble fibre gathers fat and carries it out as waste. It also helps your body regulate the use of sugars and helps you feel full longer. The insoluble fibre helps push food through your system and prevent constipation.

So..you see that not all carbohydrates are bad. We just have to make sure we eat the right ones. So, eat those good carbs, convert them to energy, and go out and be active.

Stay healthy everyone.

Sue

Losing Weight vs. Dieting

Usually, when someone says they are trying to lose weight, it is assumed that they are on a diet. I don’t think that should be the case. For me, trying to lose weight is not just about dieting, skipping meals, or cutting calories. For me, it’s about living healthy and taking care of our body.

It seems, and I hope it is the case, that people are slowly coming to realize that our bodies need food to function, our body needs the energy we feed it. And the better we feed our body, the better it works. I guess you could say it is like anything…….take care if it and it will last longer. I actually find that the younger generation seems to be very smart when it comes to food and drink. They are more conscious of what they eat and they exercise and workout in some way. Hopefully this will change the obesity rate and we will see healthier, happier people.

I don’t skip meals anymore. I used to be that person that didn’t eat breakfast or lunch. No time for breakfast before work, no lunch at work, then come home so hungry that I snack before supper and still have a big supper.

I think everyone has heard the saying that “breakfast is your most important meal of the day”. It gives you energy to get you started, gets you through till lunch. I hear people say “If I eat breakfast, then I’m hungry  a couple of hours later”. That is true, but it is because when we eat, it gets our metabolism going. It gives us energy to use. We need that! It is also true that the higher your metabolism, the more calories you use. So, really you are doing yourself a favour. If you eat smaller portions, more often, then your body is constantly working to use that energy. Now the trick is to eat the right things so that your body has the right “equipment” to function. In other words, those in between meal snacks need to be healthy…..yogurt, fruit, vegetables, protein bars. Protein makes an excellent snack because it makes you feel full longer and helps you build lean muscle mass, which is important when it comes to burning calories. I have quoted the fact before that a pound of muscle burns 14 grams of fat per day, but a pound of fat only burns 2 calories per day. What would you rather?

My realization and change in eating habits has only come over the last couple of years. I have discovered herbal nutrition ( actually something I have been interested in for years, but never really took steps to use) since I became an Herbalife Distributor. I now use products that are natural and healthy for me. I have learned so much about what my body needs and why. I can get those things using herbal nutrition. I can also use products that help me with difficult areas (difficult for me anyway) like snacking or energy. My day starts with a meal replacement shake. That gives me the vitamins and minerals I need, helps me feel full and they are a high protein, low-fat food. Perfect!! Protein bars or fruit or yogurt for snack, energy drink if I feel I need it and I can feel good about what I ate at the end of the day. I can say honestly that I feel so much better for the changes I have made.

If you get nothing else from this, I hope I have helped people to understand that getting healthy doesn’t mean you have to eat less, just eat right.

Please check out this video on snacking. It has some wonderful tips.

Take care everyone.

Sue

SNACKING

Do you like to snack? I know I do! Personally, I think snacking has gotten a bad rap. There are actually advantages to having snacks between meals as long as they are “good for you foods” and you don’t have too much. It is true that having more small meals is actually better for you than say skipping breakfast and lunch and then having a really big dinner. It helps you to manage your hunger so that you don’t find yourself all of a sudden eating large quantities of unhealthy foods. Also, eating smaller meals more often keeps your metabolism going. That’s important, especially if you are trying to manage your weight.

I find it quite common to get a little hungry between meals. I find that can get a little distracting. If I am at work and busy, I can focus on my work, but if I am at home, those little hunger pangs turn to be my main focus. Even if I am working at home, just the fact that food is handy seems to change my mental focus.  It’s ok to have a little something to get you through to your next meal. Just make sure it is a healthy snack….maybe some low-fat dairy product like yogurt or cottage cheese, some nuts or fruit or a high fibre snack. I find a snack can give me just the boost I need to carry on with whatever I was doing.

I am the first one to admit that I love many of those unhealthy snacks like cookies, chips and chocolate. If willpower is a problem for you, your best bet is to make sure they aren’t even in your cupboards at home. Find snacks that are healthy and that you like and keep them in the house. You will be able to snack, eat better and have no guilt!

As an Herbalife Distributor, I have learned a lot about my body, how it works and what is good for it. I have come to many personal revelations about myself and how I want to be healthier. I have learned much from Dr. Luigi Gratton who is the Vice President of Nutrition Education at Herbalife. I am including a video of Dr. Gratton discussing snacking. I hope you find him as informative as I do.

I wish you all health and happiness. Now go forth and SNACK!

Sue

HEALTHY EATING HABITS

I would like to talk a little about our eating habits. That can be a scary topic, especially if you are someone who knows your eating habits are not what they should be. It’s so easy to make excuses for our lack of healthy eating habits. But, no matter what our reasons might be, the lack of good choices affects our health, and so, affects our whole lifestyle. People sometimes don’t realize the impact of what we are consuming and how it can affect us. A lack of nutrition can lead to health issues later on. We are seeing the affects even now. Obesity is a major problem today  with over one billion adults overweight. That is a very scary statistic.

However, we are seeing an increased awareness of how important nutrition is for us. I think that people know they should be eating healthier. Each of us needs to be aware and take care of ourselves. We need to make good choices.

For example, no missing meals. So many of us skip breakfast or lunch or even both. We end up compensating for that by having a large dinner. It really is true that small meals are better than skipping and having a big meal later. Skipping meals slows our metabolism. We need to keep our metabolism going so we can use up those calories.

Hasty choices like ready made meals or fast food can lead to high calories, fat, sugar and salt when what we want instead is high fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. We need balanced nutrition, so choose foods with moderate calories, good sources of protein, enough fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals. It takes time and awareness and knowledge, but our health is worth it. We can avoid obesity and the chronic diseases that are associated with it like heart disease and Type 2 diabetes by changing to a healthy diet and increased exercise. It really is a very simple solution.

As an Independent Herbalife Distributor, I can say with great pride and confidence that our core products can provide you with all the daily nutrients your body needs. Our Formula 1 Healthy Meal Nutritional Shake Mix has an ideal balance of protein and nutrition. It satisfies your hunger and provides you with energy and also has only 7 grams of fat. Have one for breakfast, one for lunch and a healthy, balanced supper. That’s balanced nutrition. We have so many products and all are excellent quality and can help you meet your wellness goals. If you would like to look at our product line, you can visit my website at www.herbal-nutrition.net/sueh.

I wish you all a safe, healthy and happy season.

Sue

Stress

Today, I would like to talk about stress. We all experience it in one way or another and in varying degrees. But what exactly is stress? I think a simple explanation would be that stress is a feeling we have in response to a certain experience or situation. It’s our body’s way of facing a challenge or getting ready for a tough or uncomfortable situation.

It’s true that we all handle stress in our own way. One person might react to a situation totally different than another person. It’s because each individual looks at a situation in their own unique way. What bothers me for example might not even fizz on someone else. But stress can affect us both physically and mentally, so it is very important that we learn how to handle the stress as it arises so that it doesn’t overtake us and affect the quality of our life.

I think the most important thing we can do for ourselves is to understand ourselves. We need to know what kind of situations can affect us and be ready for them. We are all individuals, so I don’t think there is a specific “correct” way to cope. It’s up to each of us to look at our situation, figure out what the problem might be and try to solve it. That can be difficult if we are in the midst of a personal crisis or even a small problem that is worrisome to us. We need to stop, look at what’s going on, and try our best to stay calm. I’m sure that anyone can think clearer when they are calmer. I know that can be easier said than done. Talking about it can be very beneficial. If you have a close friend or family member that you trust, they could listen and help you sort out what is stressing you. Even talk out loud to yourself in a private place. Just hearing the words can help you to understand better.

Reducing the tension you are under can go a long way to a clearer way of thinking. Maybe you could go for a walk, exercise, whatever can distract you from the situation and lessen your tension. Relaxing using maybe yoga or deep breathing can also be very helpful. Find what works for you.

I would like to include a video from “You Tube” on stress. It is by Dr. Luigi Gratton. I have been familiar with Dr. Gratton since I became an Herbalife Distributor in May/09. He is the Vice President of Medical Affairs and Education for Herbalife. He is very knowledgeable and personable. I enjoy listening to him very much. I’m sure you will too.

Have a stress free day!

Sue

Herbal Nutrition-A Way of Life

Being healthy has become a major focus in my life. I have hit middle age.  I will be turning 52 this year. When I was younger, that would have sounded so old to me, but now I certainly don’t feel old, and I certainly don’t ( or at least I hope!) look old. But it has made me look at my life and my health in a whole different perspective. I want to be as healthy as I can be. I want to be able to enjoy being with my grandchildren, be able to play with them and set a good example for them. I believe I am doing that and I am very proud of that fact.

In the past few years, in my quest for good health, I have turned to herbal nutrition and it has helped me immensely. Using herbal nutrition can affect so many aspects of your life because there are so many different kinds of products available. You can use vitamins. There  are products for weight management, energy, metabolism, menopausal symptoms and even skin care. So no matter what your focus, you can improve your life. And the best part is you can be confident that the products are natural and healthy for you.

Herbal nutrition has become the focus of my life in two ways. I use it for myself and am feeling wonderful for it. I feel better. My attitude has changed immensely, I am much more confident in myself as a person and I can help myself in whatever way I feel necessary at the time by using the appropriate products. One month I might find I need some help controlling my appetite, another month I might find myself low in energy or extra busy that I want a boost in my energy. Maybe I am feeling a little lazy for whatever reason and I need to boost my metabolism. The options are endless.

The other way herbal nutrition has become a focus in my life is through work. I am an Independent Herbalife Distributor (Herbalife is a global nutrition company that I am very proud to represent). It has taught me even more about living healthy and now I am able to help other people learn about herbal nutrition and all it’s benefits. That is a big bonus for me. It has changed my life and I feel very good about what I am doing. That in itself has changed my whole outlook on my life. It is a wonderful bonus in life to be able to enjoy the work that you do.

If you are in the prime of your life as I am, I hope that you are feeling as good about your life as I am. If you are younger, I hope that you are enjoying your life and making the best of it.

Be happy and be healthy!

Sue

Nutrition-The Importance of Fiber

We all know that there are certain types of nutrients or specific types of food that we need to take into our bodies to help it work properly and makes us feel good and be healthy.

I am going to talk about a specific nutritional item that is very important and that is “fiber”. Fiber can be found in many of our everyday foods. It is the structural portion of a plant. You can find fiber in whole fruits, vegetables, beans and grains. The average person should be eating 25 – 30 grams of fiber per day. I am going to guess that many of us are sadly lacking when it comes to our fiber intake.

Different types of fiber have different effects on our body, so it is important for us to get fiber from a variety of sources. That way we can make sure we get all the benefits that are available to us. There are actually two main types of fiber. They are water soluble fiber and water insoluble fiber. Each of these are found in different types of foods.

Let’s start with water soluble fiber. It can be found in apples and oranges, carrots, potatoes, beans , oats and barley. What this fiber does is delay the time it takes for food to pass through our system. This can make us feel full longer and so can be very important when trying to lose weight. If you feel full, you are less likely to eat those extra snacks or a larger meal. A second benefit of this fiber is that it slows the absorption of glucose from our bloodstream. That helps us to lower the blood cholesterol level in our bodies.

Now let’s talk a bit about the other type of fiber–water insoluble fiber. You can find this in vegetables,wheat bran, corn bran, rice bran and most other whole grains. This type of fiber  helps to speed up the transfer of food through the intestines and it also traps water. This makes it very helpful in preventing constipation.

So, how do we get more fiber in our diet? We should eat whole fruits with the skin on. Eat a variety of whole vegetables either cooked or raw. Try to use 100% whole grain breads, rolls english muffins or crackers instead of the ones made with white flour. Doesn’t that sound a lot like we have always been told? “Eat your fruits and veggies”!
I hope you all stay healthy and happy!

Sue

Some Basics on What our Body Needs

I thought, with all the health and nutrition information out there, that maybe a few words on some basics might be a good idea. Let’s talk about what it is that our body needs.

1. PROTEIN: We need protein to build and maintain our lean muscle mass. Protein is stored in the organs and muscles of our bodies. If we don’t take in enough protein, our body will start breaking down the protein in our muscles and organs to get the energy we need. We don’t want that. So, even when we are cutting calories, we still want to make sure we take in protein. By eating enough protein, we can build muscle and actually change our shape.

2. CARBS: Carbs provide our body with it’s main source of energy.

3. UNSATURATED FATS: These help us to achieve and maintain a healthy heart.

4. VITAMINS and MINERALS:  These are important for our growth and development.

5. OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS: These are important for a healthy heart and brain. They also contribute to the healthy function of our eyes, our skin, our joints and our hair and don’t forget…our immune system.

6. FIBER: This helps our body in it’s natural elimination of wastes and toxins.

7. WATER: We need water for hydration. It is so true that those 7 or 8 glasses each day are so important. We are lucky to have water available so readily to us. Let’s make sure we use it!

8: EXERCISE and RELAXATION: This is important for our heart and does amazing things to reduce stress.

It is up to us, each person individually, to make sure we take good care of our bodies. Obesity is a major problem throughout the world. If we can concentrate on feeding our bodies with the right things in the right proportions, then it would be a major step to a healthier world.

Take care everyone!

Sue

A Positive Attitude

I have been thinking a lot about my attitude lately as a home business owner. I wouldn’t say I have been thinking negatively about it. I always start each day wondering how many hits I’ve had on my website since yesterday. Or, what can I do for ads today? But I do find myself kind of “stuck”. I don’t seem to be getting too far as far as getting customers on the internet. I have had some new customers just through contacts, whether they be personal or work related. But I just don’t seem to be where I thought I would be after a year in the business. That being said, I’m not giving up. Regardless of what I’m doing, I don’t ever seem to be in a hurry. I guess you could say I have patience. I think that’s a good thing. Some might say you can be patient for too long and maybe that’s true, but I don’t like to give up.

Just yesterday, I decided to go into my back office and watch some of the videos that were there for the new people just starting out. I must say, it gave me a boost. It talked about things that I know I heard when I first started, but kind of set them on the back burner. It was kind of a “business lift’ for me. I am thinking about other methods of advertising that I haven’t been doing, or that I wasn’t comfortable doing. Now they don’t seem quite as uncomfortable. Things like talking to people about my business and the products I offer. I’m sure some of the comfort comes from having a lot more knowledge about the products than I did when I started out. I have truly learned so much in the past year. I found myself excited about things again.

What I realized is that even with a positive attitude, sometimes you can get complacent and just let things roll. That can be okay for some things like your positive outlook on life or not being negative about setbacks in your life. But if you are dealing with something like a business, then that being complacent can bring your business to a stand still! I sure don’t want that for my business!! My aim is to do well enough with my home based business that I can quit my two part time jobs and earn enough money to be able to do things that I want, when I want, like take vacations without worrying about money, spend more time with my children and my grandchildren. I’ll never get there just sitting back and watching for website hits.

Sometimes you need someone to give you a little boost. For my business, there is a lot of positive feedback from coaches and people higher up in the company. They are the people with the experience. They know what works and I should listen to them. Sure there are some things they do that I won’t want to. It might cost too much money or it might be something that doesn’t fit my personality. But still the positive attitude is there and I can feed off of that.

The same goes for all aspects of our lives. I would hope we all have people in our lives that can give us that positive boost. All we have to do is be open to it.That might be easier for some than others. I guess it depends on our life situation. But, being positive makes everything so much easier. It creates less stress for us, which in turn makes us feel better, which in turn can be such a positive thing. it helps our attitude and our outlook on life immensely.

I hope that everyone has that positive influence in their lives. If you find yourself around negative people, I think it’s time to find some positive people. That can help each of us and then we, in turn, can help those we know become more positive. It can be contagious!!

Here’s to the positive power of friendship and love amongst us all!!

Sue

EXERCISE

Exercise can be a very broad topic, but I think I am going to talk about certain aspects of exercise. First I think I will talk about what kinds of exercise we choose to do and then how we stick to our plan.

Okay…..so kinds of exercise. That can be a decision in itself. We have everything from going to a gym and consulting with a trainer, to swimming, running, walking, or using exercise DVDs at home. I guess  a lot of it would be personal preference.

Let’s start with the gym. If you think about it, this would be a great choice because you have so many different options available to you at the gym. There is exercise equipment like tread mills, ellipticals, weights and specific machines for specific targeted parts of your body. You can also have access to a personal trainer who can help you with your specific goals. They have the knowledge to help you do exactly the exercises you need and also can help you with your diet as you progress through your workouts. The gym also has different classes you can take part in. All this sounds wonderful. You have the ability to choose a variety of different workouts and there’s help whenever you need it. But, the biggest thing here is you need the discipline to go on a regular basis. If you are the type of person that can stick to a schedule and work your  workouts into your daily routine, then you’re laughing. Go for it. But if you are anything like me, I don’t think I could do it. Something would come up and I would just say, “It’s okay. I’ll go tomorrow instead.” And then it might be the next day and the next. Before I know it I have missed a whole week! Also, I know that I would have a difficult time finding the money in my budget to pay for it.

Next option–home DVDs. This is more my style and I have a few different ones Let me give a plug for Beachbody. They have a large number available from different exercise “gurus” if you’d like to call them that. I have Turbo Jam with Chalene Johnson and Ten-Minute Trainer with Tony Horton. I like them both. The DVDs you can do in the privacy of your own home whenever you want. You don’t have to worry about anyone else watching you, and you have your trainer built right in. There is still the problem of being disciplined enough to do them on a regular basis, but you don’t have to get in your car to go anywhere. You can work around your work schedule and housework, kids, whatever else you have to do. Just fit it in.

You could also buy equipment for your home. There is a variety of equipment at all different prices. You could have your own workout station with weights and all, you could have a treadmill, Tony Little’s “Gazelle”,  the Abcircle Pro, the list goes on. And you can buy according to your budget.

Then there’s the trusty old walk or run (walking is much more my preference–I love it!). Just put your MP3 on or your I-Pod and away you go. No cost involved and you get fresh air to boot!

Needless to say, there are lots of options, depending on your personal likes and dislikes and your budget. The next trick is sticking to your exercise plan. That takes determination, goal setting and the desire to be healthy.You’re not going to exercise just because you should. At least not for the duration. So set yourself some goals, not necessarily big ones. Make sure your goal isn’t so big that you become discouraged. If your goals are smaller, you can meet them easier. That will give you the incentive to keep going and head on to your next goal.

Let me tell you about one problem I encountered. I was doing my Turbo Jam DVDs. I was being very good at sticking to my plan. There are different workouts that had different time lengths, so if I found I didn’t have as much time as I expected, I would just do the shorter one. I was very proud of myself. I was doing the cardio, the sculpting, the abs, and feeling really good. But after a few months, I found my knees were bothering me. I’m not a young girl. I’m 51 years old. I kept at it for a while, but eventually I had to stop and  give my body a rest. So I took up walking instead. Now that the weather is nice, my walks are very enjoyable. And I will try my exercise DVDs again, because I really enjoy them and they make me feel good about myself.

Whatever you decide to do, make sure you keep yourself hydrated. If you are into this on a serious basis, you will want some kind of a fitness drink. Herbalife has a very good one. It is called H3O Fitness. It provides rapid hydration so you can feel energized all day long. It quenches you thirst and replaces lost fluids. It also has essential electrolytes for rapid hydration and no caffeine. An average person loses 3-6 liters of fluid a day! An active person can lose 1-2 liters in an hour and the human body can only consume so much water at one time. A fitness drink is a perfect solution. Herbalife also has an energy drink called Lift Off. It is an effervescent drink tablet. You just drop it in a glass of water and it will fight fatigue and improve you mental alertness. Both H3O Fitness and Lift Off come in convenient packages that you can take with you and use on the go. You can check out Herbalife products at Herbalife.com or go to my website www. herbal-nutrition.net/sueh.

Everyone needs some kind of exercise for the good of their health. Remember that any amount of exercise is better than none. So get out there! It does the body good!

Sue

I’m So Proud of Herbalife!!

Hi,

I just wanted to share an announcement I just found. It is about Herbalife, the company I am an Independent Distributor with. It is about their involvement with the Union Rescue Mission located in Los Angeles. It makes me very proud to be involved with such a caring company!!

Please read on.

HERBALIFE SHAKES UP UNION
RESCUE MISSION

Herbalife announced a partnership with Union Rescue Mission
(URM) to serve healthy protein shakes at breakfast weekday
mornings on an annual basis to all guests in the Skid Row community who depend on
the mission for good, nutritious meals.

On average, URM serves 3,500 meals each day. Herbalife will donate its Formula 1
Healthy Meal Nutritional Shake Mix to the mission so residents can start their day with
a nutritious drink at breakfast. Both organizations hope to provide healthy eating
habits to the hope and healing process of experiencing homelessness.

Union Rescue Mission’s CEO Andy Bales said, “A big thanks to Herbalife for
empowering our precious guests with a delicious and nutritious shake!”

“We’re proud that we can help the Union Rescue Mission feed thousands of people a
nutritious breakfast,” said Herbalife Chairman and CEO Michael O. Johnson. “One of
our values is that we make our communities better places to live and work, and the
mission is doing a tremendous service for the people on Skid Row.”

An Herbalife Formula 1 shake has more calcium than 6 ounces of plain yogurt, more
protein than a roasted chicken thigh, more Vitamin A than a mango, more Vitamin C
than a banana, more fiber than a half-cup of broccoli and as much iron as a half-cup of
black beans. Fresh or frozen fruit added to the shakes offer even more vitamins and
minerals, as well as fiber.

Herbalife first became involved with the Union Rescue Mission in 2008 when
relocating its main offices to Downtown L.A. Herbalife helped serve shakes to people
on line at Thanksgiving, and conducted drives for clothing and personal care items.

About Union Rescue Mission
Union Rescue Mission is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving people
experiencing homeless. Established in 1891, URM is one of the largest rescue
missions of its kind in the United States and is the oldest in Los Angeles. It provides a
comprehensive array of emergency and long-term services, including food, shelter,
clothing; medical and dental care; Christian recovery programs, transitional housing,
legal assistance, education, counseling and job training to needy men, women,
children and families. For more information, please visit URM’s website: www.urm.org.

How’s Your Willpower?

Willpower can be such an issue for us all. It can come into play for us with many issues in our lives, but I want to discuss willpower when it comes to eating and exercise.

I know for myself, my willpower to stay away from those extra “yummy” snacks can be very strong for a while and then something happens and I just fall back into my snack mode. That seems to coincide with my exercise. So then I’m eating what I shouldn’t and not wearing it off either. Who knows why that happens. It can be for so many reasons. I know for me recently, I was on holidays. I actually did well while I was away, but when I got back home, it took me awhile to get back into my routine. I think I’m there now.

No matter what though, I think for most of us, it is something we have to work on constantly. Most people don’t just have willpower. You have to find it, think about it, be conscious of it all the time. It takes work and I guess, depends on how much you really want to either lose weight, maintain your weight or stay fit. Some people are much more disciplined than others so it might be easier for them. For most it takes a lot of work. If I can get myself into a routine, I’m ok. But break that routine and I have to work to get back. There’s always that “tomorrow” thought. I will start back tomorrow. I’ll have my bowl of icecream tonight and worry about things tomorrow.

There can be help. You can make a conscious decision not to have certain things in your cupboard or your fridge. You can have a friend to call whenever you get the urge to “fall off the wagon”. You can have a regular exercise “date” with friends or go to the gym on specific days. But things always come up to interfere with our plans. It takes work and desire, determination. I will be the first to say that I am very good at putting things off until tomorrow. I am definitely a last minute type person which I find is not necessarily a good mindset for being “routine”. So we have to know what we want, use our determination, and go for it.

As I usually do in my posts, I’m going to let this lead to my Herbalife products. I truly depend on them. Their protein snacks are awesome. I can have a protein bar, know it’s good for me, they’re delicious, and it helps me feel full until next meal. There are “weight management enhancers” too that help curb my appetite and boost my metabolism. They truly help me and I’m not sure if I could manage without them, at least not right now. There’s nothing wrong with having help, not when it comes to your health. If you think products like this would be a help for you, please check them out on my website, “www.herbal-nutrition.net/sueh” and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.

I hope you all can find the willpower in you to do or not do whatever it is you want.

Take care,

Sue

Herbal Nutrition

As an Independent Herbalife Distributor, I look forward to introducing as many people as possible to these wonderful products. Herbalife is backed by world-renowned doctors and scientists who help develop our products and test them.
We are a global nutrition company, can be found in 72 countries and we are celebrating our 30th anniversary!!

My website is www.herbal-nutrition.net/sueh

Nutritional Meal Replacement Shakes

Deciding what to talk about is always a tough one for me. I want it to be interesting, informative and not too complicated.

Today, I decided to talk about one of my favourite ways to eat healthy, do it simply and enjoy. That is the meal replacement shake. It can help you achieve your weight management goals, whether you want to lose weight, gain weight or just maintain the weight you are at. Just adjust accordingly!! For me, when I’m trying to lose weight (which I am currently doing) I have a shake for breakfast and one for lunch. Then you just have to have a healthy meal at supper time (one source of lean protein and some colourful fruits and vegetables would do it) and you’re good to go.

Whenever you are working on weight management and good overall health, it all starts with nourishing yourself properly. Meal replacement shakes can help you do that. They are so good, you don’t really realize how nutritious they are. They help control your hunger and boost your energy (especially if you add protein powder to them–see my entry called Protein Power), they help control your hunger and boost your energy and they are easily digestible.

I, of course, use my Herbalife products. I want to tell you what the shakes contain, and I am familiar with the Herbalife products, so I will use the specifics from them. These shakes come in three flavours, so you can have lots of variety. They are vanilla, chocolate and wildberry. Now., I usually use vanilla, because then I can add fruits to it and have whatever flavour I like. Add a banana or some frozen fruit, whatever you want and they are so good. They have 7 grams of soy protein (if you mix with soy milk that makes 18 grams) and more than 20 vitamins and minerals including antioxidants Vitamins C and E. They also have all the essential amino acids the body needs for good health.

The soy protein in these shakes is good for your heart as well as satisfying your hunger. The shakes are low in saturated fat, cholestrol and calories, they are a good source of fiber and are easily digestible. All this and it only takes a couple of minutes to make them!! Sounds perfect to me!!

I looooove my shakes. If you are intersted in Herbalife shakes you can visit my website (www.herbal-nutrition.net/SueH)and have a look at our products. They truly are excellent products, no matter what you are looking at. Or look at whatever brand you like. Compare!! No matter what, meal replacement shakes are an awesome alternative to regular meals and they are fun and delicious and so good for you.

Have a shake and enjoy!

Sue

Nutrition

This post, I would like to talk about “nutrition”. If we are going to talk about being healthy, basic nutrition is a good place to start. So, what exactly is “nutrition”? One definition states that nutrition “is the taking in and metabolism of nutrients (food and other nourishing material) by an organism so that life is maintained and growth can take place”. GOOD nutrition can help us achieve general good health, it can help prevent disease, it can help us achieve our own personal well-being. The stages of nutrition are: ingestion, digestion, absorption, transport, assimilation, and excretion.

There are actually six types of nutrients that our body needs. They are protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, vitamins, minerals and water. Human beings cannot manufacture most of these nutrients that we need, so we need to find them in the food that we eat. This is where our own personal knowledge of what we eat, how much we eat and how our bodies use this food becomes so important. We can spend a lot of time researching and learning about the six different categories and all the stages of nutrition. Maybe that can be an idea for future posts for me to write.

Good nutrition requires dedication on our part. It requires determination for us to be as healthy as we can. Sure, it’s hard to be “good” all the time and eat exactly what we should. I can vouch for that! I try very hard to stay away from the yummy snacks that I used to eat, like chips and dip, chocolate, candy etc. My willpower isn’t great, so I’m better off not to have them in the house. And, yes, I do eat them once in a while. After all I’m not living alone and sometimes these treats find their way into my house. But I’m not one to stick steadfast to any rules. And for me that’s ok. I might have my “treat” and then get back to my proper nutrition without too much guilt.

If I may, I would like to discuss Herbalife products for a moment. I am an Herbalife distributor and I believe very firmly in their products. The basic concept of Herbalife products is “Cellular Nutrition”. Since cells are the basic unit of the human body, Herbalife products are made to deliver healthy nutrients to the cells throughout our body. These products are scientifically formulated using high-quality ingredients in a way that preserves their nutrient value. Herbalife products are blends of plant-based nutrients and they provide vitamins, antioxidants and minerals to support cell function. Herbalife actually has a science team made up of world-renowned doctors and leading experts in the field of health and nutrition. They are the guiding force behind our products. If you would like to learn more about Herbalife and our products, go to www.herbalife.com. There is a lot of information on this site. Also Herbalife puts out a monthly newsletter that is very informative. Anyone interested can contact me and I will put you on my “newsletter list”. My e-mail address is sue.herbalifedistributor@gmail.com

Here’s to Good Nutrition!!

Sue

Digestive Health

Hi,

After some consideration on my next topic, I have decided to give you some information on digestive health. It’s maybe not the most appealing of topics, but it is so important.  A healthy digestive system is necessary for our overall health and well being. Our digestive systems absorbs vitamins, nutrients and minerals that the body needs to function properly. It also helps in the elimination of refuse and toxins.

Gastrointestinal health is important for everyone. There are billions of healthy microorganisms called microflora that are found in our digestive tract and they play a very important role in protecting our body. We call these “friendly bacteria” and they help to limit the growth of microorganisms that we don’t want like yeast and fungus. They also help in the digestive process, the production of B vitamins and lowering cholesterol.

I think we have all heard how fiber can help keep our digestive system working properly. It helps to absorb toxins and remove them from our body. It also absorbs water and slows the passage of food. That’s why we feel full longer when we eat higher fiber foods. Research is now showing that fiber can also help reduce blood sugar levels. It is suggested that we should have about 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day. In North America the average person consumes about 14 grams, far below what is recommended.

As we see though, with many aspects of our health, even though we do everything right, there can be other factors that interfere, like stress, age, or certain medications. So even if we eat right, our digestive health might need an “outside” boost. If you find yourself in this situation there are products out there that can help.

If I may, I would like to recommend a few. Herbalife has a line of digestive health products.

1) The first I would like to mention is our Herbal Aloe Drink. I think everyone has heard of the benefits of applying aloe externally for things like burns and certain dermatitis conditions among other things, but it also can be taken internally. It has been shown to be effective in relieving constipation and helping your digestive health. Herbal Aloe Drink is an excellent substitute for the high sugar high calorie drinks that are out there. It has zero calories and helps you meet your daily water quota that I talked about in one of my previous blog entries. Herbal Aloe drink also comes in a powder form ( the mango flavour is excellent) so you can take it anywhere with you.

2) Probiotic Complex provides live microflora (the good bacteria) to help maintain gastrointestinal health that I talked about earlier. It also can reduces gassiness and abdominal pain. It also creates lactic acid which balances our intestinal PH.

3) Florafibre has the friendly flora we need and also fiber to help with healthy colon function.

I hope this entry has been of some help to some people. I know that when we think of our health, we tend to think exercise or dieting or heart health. But how our body works, in this case digestively, goes right to the core of our body function. We need to keep our body working properly in order to be truly healthy. Herbalife products are based on Cellular Nutrition. Cells are the basic unit of our body and they provide the power for everything we do.

Here’s to your health!

Sue

PROTEIN POWER

Last time I wrote, I talked about water and how important it was for us to drink water for many reasons.

Today I have decided my topic will be protein. Protein is a naturally occurring chemical that is found in the body and it is made up of amino acids. I want to explain why protein plays an important role in a healthy diet and in weight loss.

Recent studies show that protein has many dietary benefits when it comes to weight loss and weight management. One of the biggest advantages is that it creates a feeling of fullness, so you are much less likely to overeat. This is so important, especially to those who feel the need to snack.

Another benefit of protein is its ability to curb cravings for carbohydrates. It has been shown that carbohydrates trigger the brain to crave more carbohydrates. It can be an endless cycle. Protein can block that triggering effect, so if you eat protein with carbohydrates it will reduce the craving for more carbs.

Thirdly, protein is essential for building and maintaining lean muscle mass. Everyone has a certain amount of lean muscle mass and  it is true that the higher the percentage  you have of lean muscle mass, the more calories you burn. Thus the conclusion that the right amount of protein can help you burn calories. (That reminds me of Philosophy class– If this is that and that is those then you can conclude that this is those).

You have to be careful, because if you don’t get enough protein to maintain your lean muscle mass, then your body will begin to lose weight from other parts such as your heart, muscles and organs. That is very unsafe. So keep that protein up!!

As far as how much you need, it is said that women need about 100 protein grams per day and men about 150. But remember to watch calories at the same time. Prime rib has lots of protein, but a serving has about 1500 calories!!

Let me lead this to my business selling Herbalife products. Herbalife has created a variety of  products that help you get adequate protein in your diet. They offer meal replacement shakes that contain healthy soy protein, protein drink mixes, protein bars and soup mix.   I can vouch for the fact that if you use Herbalife products, you feel full longer, crave less, and snack less. It really works!

HERE’S TO PROTEIN POWER!!

Sue