Living a Healthy Lifestyle

Magazines everywhere call us to live a healthy lifestyle. News articles and programs tell us how obese we are as a country (over 200,000 adults in the US are overweight or obese), and the health and wellness industry claim over $80 billion in revenue in the US alone. And yet....clearly its not providing lasting results and long term lifestyle changes because the obesity rates continue to climb despite the money we're spending to combat it.

I read an article on MSNBC.com (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25464987) that talks about New York law requiring restaurants to show their customers the nutritional facts of everything on their menus. While for some, the response to this is "FINALLY!!! It's about time!"; to most, its shocking and rattling the patterns of guiltless (and up to this point, uninformed!) eating. When in the world did we ever get to the place where we eat whatever, and however much we want without ever wondering if we SHOULD be eating it all? There is a definite shift happening, and if you read the above article, you'll see that many arent all that happy to be in the midst of the shift.

What Beachbody calls a Revolution is just that; but on such a deeper level than many think. Dictionary.com defines revolution as "a sudden, complete or marked change in something". The Beachbody Revolution is a COMPLETE change alright! People all over our country (and even beyond our borders) are learning how to change how they eat and view food, change from being inactive & complacent to living more active engaged, but also, and perhaps more importantly, change from living isolated from person to person contact (twitter, facebook, texting, emailing) to the accountability that comes from reconnecting socially & personally to another person; their Beachbody Coach and the Beachbody Community. Longterm change requires people linking together and saying unilaterally: "We're instigating change, and we're in this TOGETHER!" And as pastor and author Rick Warren states in his New York Times Best Seller "Purpose Driven Life" "We're better TOGETHER!!"

You see, making life changes and new choices is ENTIRELY possible by attaching meaning and accountability when you DECIDE>COMMIT>SUCCEED (Beachbody's catch phrase), and tie it tightly together with the strings of accountability. And there are hundreds of thousands of customers (and coaches) who are determined to do just that: SUCCEED...TOGETHER.

Are YOU reading this and your internal bells are going off? Do you feel energized and hopeful that your time has come? Have you had a diagnosis or pre-diagnosis of diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure? Has your doctor told you that you need to lose weight? Did you go to put on your clothes this morning and find they are just too snug?

WONT YOU JOIN OUR REVOLUTION? Together we're better, and

we are waiting for YOU!!

Email me if you'd like to join my Team Beachbody Revolution Team. :)

I've got a team of coaches waiting to link arms to help you in your PERSONAL REVOLUTION! :)

Wanting all God's best for you!!

Megan
getfitwithmegan@gmail.com

Get Healthier Carbs in This Quick Quinoa Dish

Quinoa may have an odd name (it's pronounced KEEN-wah, by the way), but it is an excellent whole grain to experiment with in your recipes. It packs a powerful nutritional punch because it has protein and fiber to keep you satisfied and improve your overall health. The grain has a fluffy texture and nutty taste that you will grow to love. Mix it with mushrooms, avocado, tomatoes, and green onion, and you've got a meal full of powerful nutrients.

Quinoa and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup dry quinoa
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 avocado, sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 4 ounces green chili peppers
• 8 1/2 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed

Preparation:

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are tender.
3. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in mushrooms and quinoa.

Makes 2 servings

Get Seven Hours of Shut-eye for a Healthier Mind and Body

A full night's sleep is not a luxury — it's a basic necessity for healthy hormone balance. Once you dip below seven hours a night, you are increasing your risk of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, depression, and obesity.

Some researchers believe that slow-wave sleep — the deep, dreamless sleep that you ideally sink into about three or four times a night — may actually regulate your metabolism. Sleep researcher break down sleep into five stages. Stage 4 slow-wave sleep, which begins about an hour after we fall asleep, is when we release our greatest pulses of growth hormone, the hormone that prompts the body to burn stored fat. When we're young, we spend about 20 percent of our time asleep in slow-wave stages 3 and 4. But as we get older, we may only spend about 10 or even 5 percent there.

Sadly, just two nights of bad sleep will cut your satiety hormone leptin by 20 percent and increase your hunger hormone ghrelin by 30 percent. That one-two punch makes you much more likely to snack on high-carb treats, which couldn't come at a worse time for your insulin levels. In a recent study, University of Chicago researchers found that just three nights of poor sleep made the bodies of young, healthy test subjects 25 percent less sensitive to insulin. This level of insulin resistance is comparable to that brought on by carrying 20 to 30 extra pounds.

In order to block fat-storage hormones and allow the full release of fat-burning hormones, you need to get at least seven hours of sleep a night!

Pump Up Your Metabolism

Q: I've tried every diet under the sun in my life, and I'm really afraid I've ruined my metabolism. I seem to gain weight no matter what I eat now! Is there any way to fix this?

A: This is such a good question! Many people suffer from the backlash that can result from years of yo-yo diets. What happens is this: When people let their calorie levels drop too low, their body's survival mechanism kicks in, lowering their metabolic set point (or basal metabolic rate). When they go off that crash diet and begin to eat normally again, they gain back any weight lost — plus. And what follows that? Yup, another crash diet.

The cycle is often very frustrating, but it CAN be reversed with time, consistency, and patience. What you'll need to do is the exact opposite of what we call shocking the metabolism;you have to allow your body time to adapt to a new metabolic set point — by being consistent, you'll force your body to adapt.

Okay, here's the game plan: First, set your daily caloric intake at 12 calories per pound of body weight. (For example, my weight is 145; 145 x 12 = 1,740 calories a day.) Then stick like glue to that calorie allowance for at least one to two months, depending on your metabolism. This will allow your body time to readjust your metabolic set point accordingly.

Now, here's the other part of the equation: The absolute best way to pump up your metabolism is to EXERCISE. You'll be burning calories not only during your workout but also up to 48 hours after — all the while increasing lean muscle tissue, which speeds the metabolism over the long term. Aim for five hours of exercise a week if possible, but no fewer than three hours a week.

A Quick and Easy Weeknight Supper

Tilapia, a relatively plentiful fish, has the unfortunate reputation of being dull. All it needs is a spice rub, a familiar barbecuing technique that works just as well indoors. You could also use this rub on chicken breasts or toss it with lightly oiled shrimp before cooking.

Chili-Rubbed Tilapia With Asparagus and Lemon

• 2 pounds asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1" pieces
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 pound fish, tilapia, Pacific sole, or other firm white-fish fillet
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Preparation

1. Bring an inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Put asparagus in a steamer basket, place in the pan, cover, and steam until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a large plate, spreading out to cool.
2. Combine chili powder, garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt on a plate. Dredge fillets in the spice mixture to coat. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and cook until just opaque in the center, gently turning halfway, 5 to 7 minutes total.
3. Divide among 4 plates. Immediately add lemon juice, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and asparagus to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until the asparagus is coated and heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve the asparagus with the fish.

Makes 4 servings.