Sleep...who needs it? We all do!

So lately I have been having the hardest time falling and staying asleep. There are things I know I need to change, when I go to bed, what time I eat my last meal, and my hydration level. I found an article with some simple ways to improve your sleep. I will be implementing some of these changes immediately. click here for the article I hope you find it useful Megan

5 Ways to Spice up Your Workout in 2013

Great article on how to easily spice things up......in your workouts

5 Ways to Spice up Your Workout in 2013

Cucumbers: Magical?

Cucumbers are useful for more than the vitamins you need daily!

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5 Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phyto-chemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7 Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber will react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown to reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemicals will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

Pass this along to everybody you know who is looking for better and safer ways to solve life's everyday problems...

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Protein-rich breakfasts prevent unhealthy snacking in the evening, study finds

Here is a great article to help get enough protein in your breakfast so you can better avoid bad choices later

Protein-rich breakfasts prevent unhealthy snacking in the evening, study finds

Your Ideal Weight Isn't What You Think It Is | Healthy Eating | Diet&Fitness | MyDailymoment.com

I saw this article and wanted to share it.  Weight and fat loss isn't just about the scale or BMI!

Your Ideal Weight Isn't What You Think It Is | Healthy Eating | Diet&Fitness | MyDailymoment.com

Diet is the largest part in creating a healthy lifestyle.  You can't out exercise a bad diet so it is important to make the best choices possible even when on a tight schedule or traveling.  So here are a few tips to help make better choices while not home.

Deli or Sandwich Shop

Lean meat (chicken or turkey), veggies, whole grain bread with side salad, baked chips, or chili – avoid grilled sandwiches smothered in cheese

Fast Food drive-thru

Grilled chicken sandwich, side salad, pre-cut fruits/veggies, veggie burgers, salads – hold the french fries and milk shakes

Mexican

Whole wheat soft tacos with grilled veggies, chicken, fish, or lean steak – hold the chips and queso

Bakery

Vegetable soups or turkey chili, veggie sandwich, grilled chicken salad with low-fat dressing, lean meat (chicken, turkey) sandwich on whole grain bread – avoid the high-fat pastries and donuts on display

If there is no time to plan ahead, or in an unfamiliar area, attempt to choose restaurants that allow substitutions, allow one to specify bake, broil, grill, or roast the meal.  And it’s always a good idea to carry portable snacks in the event that even a quick stop at a convenience store is not possible. 

• String cheese, Energy bars, Dried fruit

• Nuts, Meal replacement bars/drinks, Fortified dry cereal

• Fresh fruits or vegetables, Peanut butter sandwiches, Bagels

• Yogurt, Trail mix, Tuna packets

• Pre-measured meal replacement powder

Fun Facts Friday: Bananas

This is interesting. After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again. Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet. DEPRESSION: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier. PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood. ANEMIA: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia. BLOOD PRESSURE: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke. BRAIN POWER: 200 students at a Twickenham school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert. CONSTIPATION: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives. HANGOVERS: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system. HEARTBURN: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief. MORNING SICKNESS: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness. MOSQUITO BITES: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation. NERVES: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.. Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady. ULCERS: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chroniclercases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach. TEMPERATURE CONTROL: Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature. So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has FOUR TIMES the protein, TWICE the carbohydrate, THREE TIMES the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals.. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, 'A BANANA a day keeps the doctor away!'

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Jan 4, 2012 Daily accountability

Here is my nutrition for Jan 4, 2012. I will be switching between eggs and oatmeal with fruit for breakfast.

Breakfast:
2 eggs
1/4c ricotta
2/3c southwest style veggies
1c spinach
1Tsp olive oil
Coffee with 2tsp splenda/sugar blend
Calories: 597

Lunch and Dinner (will be the same):
Chicken
1/3c corn
1c green beans
Calories 250

Pre and Post workout:
C4
Re-con
Calories 110

Total calories for today will be 1207.

Wednesdays are my cardio days. With that said my workout for today was body combat and I may also go to body jam tonight after school so if I do that I will probably take another serving of re-con which will add 110. 

2012: New Year New Goals

So 2011 is quickly coming to a close (where did this year go), making me think about where I want to challenge my body and where I want to take it in 2012. I have a good friend who has completely transformed her body through bodybuilding and competing! I have seen her on a regular basis at the gym and absolutely want to have results like that and have the chance to compete with her as well! So where do I want to take my body in 2012? I want to be ready to compete in a bodybuilding show with my good friend in the spring! What is going to get me there? Well for one I am going to have to definitely fine tune my diet and find out more information about a bodybuilders diet and what it will take to shed this unwanted fat. Second I am going to have to change to more of a focused training as opposed to what it is now which is kind of sporadic at best. Now you may be wondering where I am at now. Well I don't really know exactly but I weighed myself at the gym before Body Combat but it was after I had had breakfast, drank part of a shake and some water and needless to say was at 141.1. I was prepared for higher since I have been eating a lot more but not necessarily well if that makes sense. My first task will be to get new measurements taken, my body fat % measured and pictures taken and recorded. My next task will be to talk with my friend and get some training and diet tips from her as to what helped her the most. Then I will need to find some accountability! I don't really like working out by myself as I know if I work with someone else I push harder but that may not necessarily always be an option. So I will need to make sure someone is going to hold me to my routine and challenging me to push harder. I am going to start doing a different lifting routine until the new year but once Jan 2 hits, it's game on!

Talk Fusion Studio UTC

Hey there! I just wanted to share a quick video of some variations on pull ups. Pull ups are one of the best ways to strengthen your back muscles as well as help you get that v-shape that so many want! click here to check it out!

Megan

6 Key Leadership Principles

I started a new class at University of Phoenix today and the first thing my teacher covered was 6 key leadership principles. I was super excited by the time he finished! So I decided to make a short video (about 16mins) about it and what they are. Check it out!6 Key Leadership Principles

Turbo Fire Day 1, Fire 30

So where do I stand......with body fat that is..........

There are so many different ways to get your body fat measured, calipers, bioelectric analysis, underwater weighing and the BOD POD.  I decided to get my body fat measured by the BOD POD.  For those who don't know what the BOD POD is, it is a Body Composition Tracking System which uses whole-body densitometry to determine body composition (fat and fat-free mass) in adults and children. It is a complete turnkey system based on the same gold standard operating principle as hydrostatic (or "underwater") weighing, except that the BOD POD uses patented Air Displacement Plethysmography, instead of water, for highly accurate, fast, and safe results. The BOD POD also offers information on Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) and Total Energy Expenditure (TEE) as an optional component of every body composition test. This data is provided without requiring the subject to perform any additional testing maneuvers, and a complete assessment requires only about 5 minutes.

I wanted to get this done cause I wanted a accurate way of getting my body fat measured and so I can track my progress.  I got this done on the 29th of March at 1pm (which I was starving by the time it came around cause you can't eat or drink 2 hour prior to the appointment).  I can  get it done for free at Hill AFB at the fitness center.  Here are the results though I wasn't happy with the weight they had me at:
% Fat: 28.8%
% Fat Free Mass (includes bones and muscle): 71.2%
Fat Mass: 43.337 lb.
Fat Free Mass: 106.891 lb
Body Mass: 150.228 lb
Body Volume: 65.919 L
Body Density: 1.034 kg/L
Thoracic Gas Volume 2.831 L
Body Fat Rating: Moderately Lean
Est. Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 1330
Est Total Energy Expenditure (TEE): 1649 if sedentary, 2022 if low active, 2314 if active, 2753 if very active

I will be going back the last week of April before I take my trip to LA for the Beachbody Coaches Summit and see it is then.  I would like to be at least 140 lb and around 24% body fat.  Time to bring on INSANITY, starting with a Shakeology cleanse tomorrow which last 3 days and then Insanity should be here on Thursday so I will start that the Monday following!  Time to DIG DEEP!

Decide. Commit. Succeed.

Whether you are trying to lose weight or trying to be successful at your job or business, you take these three steps without even realizing, decide, commit and succeed. You decide something needs to be done, commit to making change and when you do that you will succeed.

No one is perfect

How you act after you fall determines your fate. Sooner or later you will eat something you feel is "wrong." Maybe you'll eat something unplanned at a party, or drive through to get an old favorite when you're in a hurry. After a stumble, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start over--without looking back and without guilt.

You can waste a lot of energy feeling angry and guilty for not being perfect. Understand that these cravings and feelings are normal and have nothing to do with personal strength or resolve. You cannot allow these feelings to crush your spirit. In fact, a poor food choice is simply a signal you need to make a positive choice as soon as possible. Starting over (and over and over, if necessary) is looking forward to success, instead of dwelling on mistakes.

Action for the day: Start over today and move on. Instead of kicking yourself for a poor choice, focus on how great your next choice will be.

An Invitation From the Beachbody CEO and Founder

Beachbody CEO and Founder, Carl Daikeler takes a direct approach and extends a formal inviation to join the opportunity