"Purge 2 Avoid The Binge"

You probably thought you’d never hear purging is good for you, but in this case I highly recommend it. If you really want to stick to your diet, you must purge your cupboards, fridge, freezer, and pantry of any foods that are too tempting for you to ignore. Don’t be like the person who’s trying to quit smoking but keeps a pack of cigarettes hidden away in the back of a drawer, just in case. Kick the habit of eating junk by not having it around to test your limits. 
Not only should you purge your home of naughty nibbles, you should always have an abundant stock of healthy foods on hand that you can turn to when temptations run high. Purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at the store each week, and stock your pantry each month with dried fruit, nuts, no-sugar added applesauce, turkey jerky, and other healthy snacks. Just make sure you buy items you actually enjoy and can be satisfied munching on in place of naughtier items. Having the right foods on hand and the wrong foods out of reach is the perfect formula for long-term dieting success. So don’t waste another minute: Purge your cupboards and you’ll avoid the binge.

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"5 Minuets To A Successful Day"

There are 1,440 minutes in a 24-hour period, but it only takes five to ensure your success for the entire day. In this short amount of time you can write a daily to-do list that schedules your weight-loss goals into your calendar. Each night, pencil in your morning exercise session, write down what you plan to eat and make note of any other goal-oriented plans you have for the day. 

Keeping a training and diet journal is an added benefit which can keep you successful, on track and motivated as well. In the evening you can check off completed workout and record exercises, sets, reps amounts and rest time. Log your cardio time, heart rate and calories burned etc. Any information that needs to be filled in for the days workout. Keep a record of your diet and how many meals, calories, water amount.. etc.  Each night when you prepare for the following you day, you can also be filling in your training journal information so you never lose track of what you've done each day. This will be beneficial to you as you make progress you'll be able to go back and see the exact approach you took. If you're not making progress it will also help you, because you can look back and see maybe where you went wrong and change it. It doesn't take much time to keep up with it daily if you take the few minuets to do it as you are preparing for the next day.

Lay out the next day’s clothes near the bed, so you don’t have to scramble to find them in the morning. Make your lunch, and check to make sure you have the food you need for a healthy dinner. The whole process can take as little as five minutes, especially once you get into a routine of doing this each evening. Writing down your goals serves as an incentive and a well-laid plan to make them a reality. 

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"Fight Stress with a Sweat-Pumping Workout"

Most women feel like they must be superwoman. They have to balance growing career responsibilities and motherhood a while maintaining strong relationships with friends and loved ones. This whirlwind of responsibility and activity can have a debilitating effect when it becomes overwhelming! It can stop us from achieving results and accomplishing our goals. Stress at high levels can cause many health problems as well as stop you from making gains from you workouts as well as cause both weight gain and weight loss. Stress comes in all shapes and sizes as we know the everyday stress of maintain our busy schedules, stress from grief which is a biggie and can it be a grief of any loss in our life. We need to recognize it and nip it in the bud so it doesn't cause damage or hurt any progress we will be gaining.

So what’s your No. 1 weapon against debilitating stress? Exercise. Yep, working out at least three times a week will trim excess fat and sculpt your bod, but more importantly, it causes your body to release endorphins. These feel-good hormones make you feel exhilarated as well as calm and relaxed. And best of all, it’ll give you an emotional advantage that will help immediately alleviate stress. Scientists agree that exercise can enhance the body’s ability to respond to stress. So don’t forget to work out – your well-being depends on it. Even if you tired from a long day you need to try to get in that workout for you own well being, relieve the stress from the day and to keep your sexy fit body. Once you start you'll be happy you did. Make it a daily habit and commit to you overall healthy and kick stress in the butt! #Okole

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"Scale vs Mirror"

Get off the scale and get your nude booty in front of the mirror. It may not be your favorite household item, but the mirror is truly your best ally when it comes to seeing your weight-loss progress. Unfortunately, it’s difficult for many women to wean themselves off of the bathroom scale because it gives them what seems like "direct" feedback. But consider this: The scale does not differentiate between your body’s lean mass and fat mass. So, if you’ve been working out for two weeks and the number on the scale has gone up, don’t freak out. You’ve most likely gained muscle mass as you’ve lost fat mass, and you may even be retaining water, all of which add to that higher number. 

My late husband, god bless him would always tell me to just look in the mirror either in my bikini or naked to get the real truth. He was so right as much as we don't want to admit the mirror doesn't lie. You can see that you lost 5-10 pounds on your scale, but if you don't see it in the mirror there is a problem. Granted if you trying to lose a lot of weight a few pounds would be hard to noticed right away, but after you have been workout and training hard, eating clean and losing weekly you should start to see changes to your body in the mirror. Especially if you're lifting weights because we all know muscle weighs more than fat. The mirror should be you main scale to show you the real truth and it will also show where you might need more work. Don't be afraid to look, it's just you and the mirror. I know that can be scary but don't let it scare you, let it guide and empower you to do what you need to do to feel great about yourself and soon you will be naked in the mirror and see exactly what you want to see and know that you worked hard for it. Then you need to keep it and keep looking in the mirror to make sure you're on point!

Instead of going to the scale for feedback, take a good long look in the mirror. As your body composition changes from fat into lean tissue, you will notice visual improvements in muscle definition and body shape. And that’s the best kind of motivation for continuing with your fitness program. 

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"Eat Alone"

It’s time you got rid of all your mealtime distractions and learned to eat alone. Don’t worry, you won’t have to abandon your friends or family to follow this diet trick. We’re talking about eliminating other forms of distraction that can lead you to overeat, like the television.

Multi-tasking as you eat may sound efficient, and it really is – an efficient form of delivering extra calories that’ll end up on your thighs, that is. As unfortunate as it may seem, eating while you’re not paying attention is a quick way to pack on the pounds. TV-watching, reading or zoning out to music or an audio book while chowing down are all activites that can cause you to eat more without even realizing it.

So eat alone. Turn off the television, shut the book and take out the ear plugs. Set yourself down at the table or outside in front of a beautiful sunrise or sunset and actually take the time to enjoy what you’re eating. And while you’re at it, don’t eat out of the bag or container that your food came in. Serve yourself a reasonable portion ahead of time and then put the rest away.

Take your time eating and wait to serve yourself a second helping until at least 20 minutes have gone by so that your hunger signals have time to catch up. When you become more aware of what you’re eating, you also become better at practicing portion control, which can then translate into better control of your diet to help you reach your weight goals. 

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"Tomorrow Is Too Late"

From “I’ll start my diet on Monday” to “I can overeat today and make up for it by eating less tomorrow,” there are endless excuses for putting off healthy lifestyle changes. It’s not that waiting one day – or weekend – to put down that donut and pick up a dumbbell is bad, but rather that those “tomorrows” never arrive. This is a form of procrastination, and it always results in disaster.

Few people actually start their diet on Monday and stick with it or make up for today’s excess calories “tomorrow.” And those who do go all out on Monday or eat less to make up for yesterday’s indulgences end up starving themselves and slowing their metabolisms. When you truly respect your body, you’ll stick to healthful food portions all the time and never punish yourself by waiting until “tomorrow

There is no making it up. It's a nice thought, but once today is gone it's gone and the best, most healthy and honest thing you can do for yourself and your body it to make the here and now, the day your in healthy, fit. Then continue each day the same exact way without making deals with yourself allowing cheating and making unhealthy decisions to continue on. There is no end when you do it that way and I think you know that because it hasn't happened yet. Just do it and do it the correct way and you will not go wrong. I promise you that you will see results if you do the work and you'll be more motivated to keep up exactly what you're doing without fail. The more fit and healthy you are the easier it is to continue and feel great doing it!

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5 Keys 2 Fat-Loss Success

1. Set realistic short-term goals. Think of these as mini-goals. If you’re training to run in a long-distance marathon, start out with smaller mileage races. Slowly your time will improve and your distance will lengthen, and before you know it, you’ll be running a competitive marathon. There is no way to reach a huge long-term goal without a few mini-goals along the way.

2. Short-term goals should lead you to long-term goals. Allow for occasional setbacks along the way, but regard them as learning experiences and stepping stones on the pathway to a better more fit you. That's the beauty of short-term, or mini-goals. You can make a few missteps along the way and still reach your ultimate goal, as long as you learn from your missteps and get back on track. Never let a setback or misstep stop you from continuing to move forward to your fitness goals.

3. Set a training schedule and stick to it. It helps to have a contract with yourself. Some clients put the schedule in writing; others tack it to their fridge or keep a sticky-note in their wallets; and many keep it in their heads. I suggest to keep a training journal and keep your daily workouts, daily diet and you can also keep your fitness contract, and workout schedule in your journal and refer to it everyday. Nonetheless, these methods share a common objective: to urge you to stick to your goal.

4. Listen to your body. Your body sends you signals when it's too full or too empty; paying attention to the signals is one way to stay in balance. Your exercise should be the same. Fatigue is a sign to take a break, and it's OK to do so. The old adage of "no pain, no gain" has gone by the wayside. Because if your body is feeling tired, or fatigued it's your body's way of telling you it needs rest. Rest is a must just as food is to our muscles. Without sufficient rest our muscles will not grow or repair and that will hinder any gains you hope to make. It's great to hit your body hard when your working out and feel that pain to make your muscle gains, but remember to also give your body love and let it rest and recover. Love your body and your body will love you back.

5. Constantly challenge yourself. Life is meant to be a challenge. We strive to meet challenges and move beyond them. If we don't learn, we can't grow. Success is like a muscle; it doesn't grow if it isn't stretched. So how far will you stretch today? Make each day a challenge and conquer it!!!

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"Embrace a Complement"

What went through your mind the last time someone complimented the way you look? Did you accept the comment graciously, or did you think to yourself, It’s just flattery. They don’t really mean it. If your response was something along the lines of “Oh, come on… you’re lying,” then you’re not giving yourself the respect you deserve. 

There was a long period of time where I couldn't take a compliment from anyone, not even my now late husband. It just didn't seem right for me to accept a compliment that I didn't feel I deserved in anyway. I wouldn't even say thank you to the giver of the complement. I would just say make a reply that I am no where near the way I want to be or that I look bad and thought in my mind that they were just being nice and didn't really mean it. I even felt my husband was just giving me compliments because he felt he had to because I was his wife and it was his duty. No matter what the complement was it was extremely hard for me to accept when it was directly towards me physically.

Then one day my Mom caught me in one of my replies to someone giving me a sweet complement at work and I just laughed and said no that I looked bad and made a face. My mom took me aside and told me that it was disrespectful to not accept a complement and that I make that person feel bad when I don't say thank you and accept it. They make the effort to give you a complement and when you just fluff it off and don't say thank you it makes them feel bad, me look bad and they probably think why did I even go out of my way to give the complement. So, in not accepting the complements given to you, you not only are ungrateful to the giver of the complement but you're disrespecting yourself as well. 

Since that day at work when my Mom told me that I need to accept complements more graciously not only out of courtesy to the giver, but out of respect for myself most of all. I was worthy of these amazing complements that were given to me and I needed to embrace them and let them make me feel good about myself and my accomplishments. I put so much hard work in to making myself fit and healthy and I worked hard getting myself ready for competition that I needed to accept that I deserved to feel good about myself on the outside and on inside. From that day on I have accepted any complement given to me, even if I was having a bad day and not feeling too good about myself physically I just looked past my insecurity and embraced the complement given and was thankful for it.

My Mom also said one day as you get older you may not get as my complements and I needed to enjoy it while I was receiving them. Even if you feel the person giving the compliment isn’t being sincere, don’t think the situation reflects poorly on you. Remember, you need to accept and respect yourself unconditionally right now as you work toward your health and fitness goals. The best answer to a compliment is an honest “Thank you.” or as we say in Hawaii "Mahalo"

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"Fats Help Keep Your Salad Healthy"

Think you have to ban fatty salad dressings forever? Many dieters think losing weight means you have to cut corners (which is true) by cutting out fatty foods like salad dressing (which is not true). While it’s a fact that when you leave off fatty salad dressings you may be reducing the total number of calories in your meal, you’re also reducing the total number of carotenoids you absorb from the phytochemical-rich assortment of veggies in your salad.

Carotenoids are a class of pigments found in vegetables. They make carrots orange, green peppers green and tomatoes red, and they also act as powerful antioxidants. These healthy compounds, however, are fat-soluble, meaning they need to be digested in the presence of fats in order to cross the intestinal wall and be absorbed into the body. That means if you’re not eating some amount of fat with your salads, whether from the dressing, shredded cheeses, avocado, or other source, you won’t be able to benefit from the all the fat-soluble nutrients, carotenoids and antioxidants found in the vegetables.

How much fat do you need then? Research shows that you need to eat at least six grams of fat along with your meal in order to absorb these healthy, fat-soluble compounds. Check the label of your favorite salad dressings and opt for one that has a healthy amount of unsaturated fats, like an olive-oil based dressing. Or just add a quarter of an avocado to your salad for seven grams of fat, six of which are heart-healthy unsaturated fats. 

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"Timing is Everything"

You’ll hear from a lot of fitness experts that you should work out in the morning. And while there are plenty of good reasons to start your day off with exercise, you should also consider your personal circumstances. Some people are naturally more energetic in the morning, while others hit their peak at the end of the day. If you’re a night owl, schedule your workout for the evening – you’ll have more energy and burn more calories.

The same philosophy goes for other daily tasks. Try to accomplish as much as you can during the time of day that you’re most alert, rather than force yourself to be productive when you just don’t have the energy. On the flipside, make sure you make the most of your low-energy moments by setting aside time during that part of the day for a nap or sit-down tasks that won’t leave you feeling drained.

I have most of my good energy in the afternoons and have always done my heavy workouts in the afternoons or early evenings. I have tried many times to force myself to do early morning workouts and there were times in my life I had no other choice to do morning workouts, but if I have a choice I choose to workout when I have the most energy and feel good working out. Even when I run I prefer to run after lunch time to late afternoon. It's when I have the most energy and can put so much more into my running or workouts than if I push myself to workout too early.  I have had some great workouts at the early time of 5am and been able to excel, but I know my body has it's most stamina and  power in the afternoons or early evenings. So, everyone needs to find that perfect time where they are at their strongest, and can give their best performance possible. Don't force yourself to do what others are doing, you need to do what works best for you and your own body. That's when you will excel the most and be happy doing so. Be happy in being fit and healthy.

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"Peanut Butter Crazy"

Is natural peanut butter a good source of "healthy fat" and protein? And what are the recommended servings per day? Natural peanut butter is a great source of healthy fat, but take caution:

First, do not substitute peanut butter for a major source of protein, such as chicken or fish. Not only does peanut butter not contain a significant amount of protein per serving, but the protein is what is known as “incomplete” protein, meaning it lacks several important amino acids. For protein, go with animal sources or milk protein-based products that contain whey and casein. These are much better “complete” sources.

Also, a peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergens out there. While that doesn’t mean you’re going to blow up like a fish and have a major allergic reaction, it can slow fat loss. Many people find that when they cut peanuts out of their diet it makes a big difference in their rate of fat loss. However, if you are not sensitive to peanuts, then all-natural peanut butter can be a great source of healthy fat, as nearly all of the fat is unsaturated.

I would recommend sticking with a single serving a day. I love adding peanut butter to a cut up apple as special treat, and it's a great sweet tooth buster too.  I also love blending peanut butter with a chocolate protein shake. It tastes just like a peanut butter cup – yum!

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"Olympic Track & Field Inspired Workout"

Warm-up:
For a general cardiovascular warm-up, perform 5-10 minutes of a low-to-moderate- intensity aerobic exercise, such as walking, riding a stationary cycle or using an elliptical trainer. When training for a super fitness competition my brother had me to all of these exercises to get me prepared. I was preparing for a 1/2 mile sprint beach run and believe it or not all these exercises do help you in your running ability. Some of these you may feel silly doing, but the just remember you may feel silly but you'll be prepared and ready to run like a track star. Try it out and add a new thing to your workout schedule.

Then:

1. Jog for 3-5 minuets

2. Preform high knees for about 20 meters (66 feet) walk back to starting position to recover. repeat 2x

3. Preform butt kicks for about 20 meters.. Walk back to starting position to recover. repeat 2x

4. Preform 10 reps of side-high knee step-overs on the right and then repeat of the left. Complete a total of 2x on each leg.

5. Jog about 30 meters 3x

6. Stride out 30 meters (98 feet) 3x

 Workout

1. Run 100 meters (about 328 feet) twice. To recover, take 4 minutes to walk back.

2. Run 80 meters (about 262 feet) twice. To recover, take 4 minutes to walk back.

3. Run 60 meters (about 197 feet) twice. To recover, take 4 minutes to walk back.

Cool-down
Watch the video to see how to do these stretches:

Kneeling Triplanar Lunge
Maintain an upright posture and engage the abdominal muscles while moving into this stretch. Hold stretch for 20-30 seconds. Switch legs and repeat. Complete 2 sets of this exercise on each leg.

Seated Side-Straddle Stretch
Hinge and reach forward to the point of tension in the stretch, but don't bounce or push to a point of pain. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds. Relax and return to your starting position. Complete 2 sets of this exercise on each leg.

Supine Hip Flexor Stretch
Hold stretch for 20-30 seconds, switch legs, and repeat. Complete 2 sets of this exercise on each leg.

Supine 90-90 Hip Rotator Stretch
Hold stretch for 20-30 seconds, switch legs, and repeat. Complete 2 sets of this exercise on each leg.

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"Loser Zone Activity"

There aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. Or are there? How great would it be if you could find an extra 3-4 hours this week? All of us have what I call a Loser Zone, where we spend way too much time. You fall into this zone when you do something that produces no significant improvement in your life.

Can you guess what the #1Loser Zone activity is? It’s something the average American spends 30 hours a week doing. If you said watching television, you’re right! You may enjoy zoning out to your favorite shows, but think of how much you could be accomplishing with that time. Even if you just reduced your daily TV time by one hour, you’d have seven extra hours a week.

Your Loser Zone time might also involve aimlessly chatting on the phone or surfing the Internet. Identify your Loser Zones and add up how many hours per day you spend there. If your number is greater than 6-8 hours, you have just found some time that could be better spent on creating your best body ever. I think everyone would agree that the loser time you find yourself participating in daily, really could be spent making your body fit and beautiful it will be very easy for you to give up that loser time and make it body beautiful time instead.

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"Make Breakfast BIG"

If you’re stuck in the American rut of skipping out on breakfast – or at best consuming coffee and toast – you may want to switch up your strategy and make breakfast BIG. The truth is, if your goal is to optimize both fat loss and metabolism, you MUST make breakfast your largest meal. Since your body feeds on stored carbohydrate in muscle and the liver as you sleep, your stores are somewhat depleted upon awakening. This, in turn, makes the carbohydrates you consume at breakfast highly unlikely to spill over to fat storage.

Insulin sensitivity and carbohydrate tolerance are at their peak in the morning hours, which simply means there’s no better time for your body to process carbs than at breakfast. Additionally, a generous-sized breakfast consisting of both lean protein and complex carbohydrates helps to maintain calorie-burning muscle, as it quickly delivers nutrients to muscle tissue after an overnight fast. And if that wasn’t enough, regular consumption of an ample-sized breakfast is linked to increased metabolism and fat burning, while skipping breakfast has been associated with a slower metabolism and increased body-fat levels. So next time you’re deciding what to eat for your morning meal, consider today’s tip and make breakfast BIG! 

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"You are Your Greatest Ally"

The most important weight-loss buddy you need is you. You’re the only one who has the power to take complete control of your life, so it’s YOU who needs to be nurtured and cared for. Don’t be afraid to put numero uno (that’s you!) first.

After all, who feeds you? Who determines whether you exercise in the morning? Who puts you to sleep? Who makes the decision to eat right? You! Therefore, it’s you who must become your own greatest ally and friend. Only then will you ignite your deepest motivation to take better care of yourself and treat yourself with the greatest care and respect.

Once you do this, others will feel more able to unconditionally nurture, comfort and support you. To become your own greatest friend, there are three steps you must take: 

1. Accept your current self (no matter what)
2. Find your Passions (What drives your passion)
3. Use a journal to express your feelings

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"Your Not A Super Hero"

We all have those days when it feels like we could conquer the world. Chores – check! Errands – check! Workout – check! World peace – check! In reality, the daily demands of a hectic lifestyle pile up, leaving you feeling worn out and a lot less like Wonder Woman. Don’t attempt to do too much at once. You may feel like a super hero, but you’re not. No one is.

Too often, we get caught up in the “I can do everything” trap and take on too many responsibilities. From evening classes to social obligations to taking kids to sporting events and practices – there’s not always enough hours in the day to accomplish it all. The danger of the Wonder Woman syndrome is that you’ll spread yourself too thin and not give all of your responsibilities the attention they deserve. You’ll also become exhausted and risk becoming lazy in your healthful eating habits, missing your workouts too. So quit trying to be a super hero! Just be the super person – productive, unproductive or somewhere in between – that you are.

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Top #26 Plus Ways To Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly~ #26 "Excessive Gas From Bacteria"

Top #26 Best Ways To Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly...

#26 Excessive Gas from Bacteria Common causes of bloat are irritable bowl syndrome (IBS) and  constipation. However there are other causes for bloating. If you suffering from chronic  bloating you should see your doctor.  There are several reasons that the bacteria in the gut may cause excessive amounts of gas causing bloating.

1. The amount of gas bacteria produces varies for each individual. Some people may have more bacteria or bacteria that produces more gas. 

2. Poor digestion/ absorption of the food in the small intestines. This means more undigested food reaches the bacteria that live in the colon. The more undigested food the bacteria have to feast on the more gas they produce. Poor digestion/ absorption of food in the small intestine may be caused by.. Lactose intolerant (lactose is found in dairy products) Sorbitol intolerant (sorbitol is commonly used  sweetener in low calorie foods. Fructose intolerant (fructose commonly used sweetener, candies, and drinks. Pancreatic insufficiency (lack of enzymes that break down food) HCL deficiency (insufficient stomach acid) Celiac disease   

3. Bacteria overgrowth can occur in the small intestines. Bacteria is usually confined to the colon (large bowl) However, sometimes bacteria will spread into the small intestine (bowl) In the small bowl the food is still being digested, which means that the bacteria have a lot more undigested food on which to feast on than they would in the colon, and this is what produces a lot of gas. This is know as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)

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Top #26 Best Ways 2 Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly~ #25 "Natural Remedies"

Top #26 Best Ways To Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly... 

#25 Natural Remedies to Reduce or Prevent Bloating

. Parsley. A natural diuretic that helps reduce bloating

. Activated-Charcoal caplets (Sold at most drug stores)

. Probiotics Helps break down food.. preventing bloating and gas.

. Prebiotics Encourages the growth and or friendly activity of gut bacteria 

. Tea Peppermint, camomile and fennel tea can relieve gas and bloating. Also try lemon/lime in hot water.

. Pineapple  Is high on the enzymes bromelain, which breaks down protein and thus aids in the digestive process.

. Ginger Grate some fresh ginger and put in a pan with water.. bring to a boil and you've made fresh ginger tea which can be incredible effective in relieving bloating.

. Bitter orange tea  Relieves bloating as well as belching.

. Caraway and Peppermint oil capsules  This calms the tummy and relieves bloating.

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Top #26 Best Ways 2 Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly~ #24 "Calcium for PMS"

Top #26 Best Ways To Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly...

#24 Calcium for PMS

Bloating, abdominal fullness and feeling gaseous can be all signs of PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) If you think bloating is related to PMS, calcium may help. Supplementing with calcium, magnesium and vitamin B6 just before you know you're going to be suffering from PMS will help prevent bloating. You can also drink plenty of water and other fluids to reduce fluid retention and bloating.  taking the calcium supplements will significantly help in early tiredness, depression, bloating and appetite changes prior to menstruation. Calcium may also help reduce menstrual pain, such as abdominal cramps, bloating and breast tenderness. It's definitely worth it to take some calcium to prevent all of these PMS symptoms along with the benefit of bloating, especially if your PMS comes up at a time you're definitely not wanting any bloat in your tummy area.. Like a vacation or special event. Take no chances and take some calcium and prevent the dreaded bloating and all the other unpleasant symptoms PMS come with.

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Top #26 Best Ways 2 Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly~ #23 "Mind Your Stress Levels"

Top #26 Best Ways To Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly...

#23 Mind Your Stress Levels

We all know stress always causes something bad and the best thing for our well being is to not have it, but stress does exists and we need to recognize it when it rears it's ugly head and nip it in the bud immediately if possible. While stress can help you get things done, it does come with a bevy of healthy related problems and especially so if you suffering from chronic stress. When we are stressed our bodies release a hormones that trigger the "fight or flight" mode. This mode makes you more awesome to ensure your survival. But what happens in the body diverts resources away from the non-essential organs, such as the digestive system, to your heart, brain and muscles instead. Therefore your digestive system slows down considerably and your last meal eaten linger around longer in your gut than it normally would causing you to bloat. You can beat stress by relaxing techniques and or daily physical exercise. Exercise reduces stress hormones and releases happy hormones (endorphins) We all love those "Endorphins" so go get some every day.. Workout!

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Top #26 Best Ways 2 Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly~ #22 "Step Away from the Cigarettes"

Top #26 Best Way To Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly...

#22 Step Away from the Cigarettes 

Smoking causes a lot of things, a lot of no so good things as most people know, yet they'll still smoke them. This time it's not the chemicals that are causing the trouble for you, it's the motions you use while smoking each dreaded cigarette. When you inhale during smoking you also inhale extra air, just when you drink out of a straw the extra air comes in to your body. This continued inhaling over a course of a day can cause a lot of extra air to get stuck inside your body, your tummy area and cause the dreaded bloating. So, my advice is.. Just STOP smoking for that reason and for the other much more important reasons that we all know about. Stop smoking and be less bloated and more important be #Fit 

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Top #26 Best Ways 2 Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly~ #21 "Walk After Eating"

Top #26 Best Ways To Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly...

#21 Walk After Eating

Walking may be the last thing you feel like doing after a good meal, but a brief 5 minuet walk will help release any air trapped in your digestive track. If you're eating 5-6 small meals a day, a post walk is less necessary, but certainly won't hurt if you have the time and the other plus is you'll burn extra calories at the end of the day and before you settle in for the night. 

A casual walk after a meal isn't harmful, but whether you should do a walking fitness routine after eating is a bit more complex. In general, nutrition before a workout is essential for several reasons, including providing much-needed energy. However, you should just stick to a nice easy 5-20 minuet walk after dinner, not a full workout walk or jog as there's a good chance you'll get stomach cramps and have discomfort if you try to do more than a causal, easy walk. The main object is to do a nice, slow walk after your meal just release any trapped air in your digestive track after you eat and stop and prevent any bloating, it's not to do a full strenuous workout trying to burn off your meal. You'll still burn calories, but more important it will keep you from bloating up and the light exercise, fresh clean air will make you feel good and you'll feel nice and light before you settle in for the night.

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Top #26 Best Ways 2 Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly~ #20 "Big Event?"

Top #26 Best Ways To Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly...

#20 Big Event? Hitting the Beach?

So, you've got a big event coming up soon? It's today or tomorrow or maybe a week away and you want to make sure your tummy is flat as it possible can be for this event. Then you'll want to be sure to cut back on all bulky raw food immediately. Bulky raw foods like: Carrots, provide a similar level of nutrition when they're cooked, but raw they take a whole lot more room up in your tummy. So, rather than eating bulky raw foods that take up room and expand your tummy more than necessary, so go with cooked vegetables and smaller portions of fruit/dried fruit. If you're going on a beach vacation and want to avoid looking bloated in your small, sexy swimsuit on the beach, then skip the bulky foods for lunch and have them for dinner. Even healthy, clean food can have a negative effect on you body and cause you to bloat, so knowing how foods effect your body you can determine when is the best time to be eating them. If you love raw carrots and other veggies, but aren't going to be wearing a bikini for a beach day then by all means eat away and enjoy!

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Top #26 Best Ways 2 Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly~ #19 "Balanced Meals"

Top #26 Best Ways To Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly...

#19 Eat Balanced Macronutrients ratios

Remember to eat balanced meals. Try not to cut out fat, protein, or carbs excessively. The best most healthy way for your body is to eat in moderation. Eating too little protein in your daily diet can cause bloating, too much fat slows down digestion and puffs you up, and to much carbs makes your body promotes water retention in your body. So, you can see it's best for your body to eat a well balanced macronutrient meals to keep your body from shocking over load of of either too much fat, too much carbs or too little protein causing the dreaded bloating of your body and belly area. In addition always drink plenty of water with your meals, and throughout the day.

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Top #26 Best Ways 2 Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly~ #18 "Eat Potassium Rich Food"

Top #26 Best Ways To Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly..

#18 Eat potassium rich food

 Fluid balance in your body is regulated by sodium and potassium levels. Potassium helps the kidneys excrete more sodium, while sodium causes the body retain water. Basically, potassium helps relieve bloating by reducing water retention. Fruits and vegetables that are packed with potassium include... Spinach, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, kiwi, banana, cantaloupe, mango, papaya, nuts, yogurt, fish. Lots of good, healthy, yummy choices here for you to add to your diet if you're not already do so. Eat more of these healthy food choices to beat your belly from bloating.

 

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Top #26 Best Ways 2 Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly~ #17 "Graze"

Top #26 Best Ways To Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly...

#17  Graze 

Eating smaller meals more often is much easier on your body and allows your digestive system to break down and assimilate food more easily, which then will reduce any bloating from happening. Remember that your stomach is only the size of your fist and over eating, stuffing yourself with large meals means your over-loading and stretching it. Try to reduce your portion sizes and aim to eat about 4-6 smaller meals throughout the day. If eating that often seems to be a problem or too fussy to you, then simplify it by going three main meals, but smaller and add two snacks (containing protein and carbs) between your main three meals. Try this and you will feel so much lighter and your chances of being bloated will be very slim to none.

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Top #26 Best Ways 2 Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly~ #16 "Dietary Fiber"

Top #26 Best Ways To Beat Bloat~Banish Your Fat..

#16 Dietary Fiber 

In some cases dietary fiber or the type of fiber used to treat constipation may cause bloat. It does this without actually increasing the amount of gas in the digestive track. It is thought that bloating arises from the fiber slowing the movement of gas throughout the bowels. However some types of fiber may directly increase the amount of air because they are partially digested by the bacteria that's live in the colon. So, again this is something that will be different for everyone and you need to test some of the fiber you do eat and see how it effects your body when you eat it. It may be that you are eating certain types of fiber that can or could be causing your to bloat and you're not even aware of it. If you suspect this is happening then take it out of your daily diet and see if your body feels different and if you do notice a difference, but aren't too sure then you can try to add it back in to your diet to see if your body does react negatively. If you do try this approach you need to do one food item at a time so you know exactly what food items have a negative effect to your body. This comes from knowing your body and knowing what certain foods can cause you to bloat or even cause other problems when you consume it on a regular basis.

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Motivational Note✿ "Make it Happen"

Okay, it's Monday and are you going to use another excuse this week? or are you going to get your shit together and "Make it Happen" this time. Remember it doesn't get any easier if you wait or put it off for a better day or better week. It's best to just bite the bullet and jump right in to and do the work. You don't need to be perfect nor athlete to begin a healthy, fit life style, you just need to have the will, and desire to make yourself better than you are now and not settle for the body you're living with. If you're happy with yourself and your body then you're half way there, but if you're not then you clearly need some motivation to buckle down and make it happen today! Just do it and Make it Happen and a month or months from today you will be so thankful and happy you stop all the excuses and took your first step toward a better, fit and happy you! Love yourself and Love your body everyday!

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Top #26 Best Ways 2 Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly~ #15 "Tolerate Milk?"

Top 26 Ways To Beat Bloat and Banish Your Belly...

#15 Tolerate Milk

Milk carries a natural sugar known as lactose. The enzyme that breaks down lactose is known as lactase . People who are known as lactose intolerant lack enough of the enzyme lactase and therefore are unable to complete the digestion of lactose. It is the undigested lactose that cause cramping gas, and the bloating, Lactose intolerant is fairly common and as we get older we're more likely to become lactose intolerant. The think is not all dairy contains a lot of lactose. Dairy products such as cheese and yogurt can have very low levels of lactose, this is because much of it is broken down during the processing. In any case people tend to suffer with varying degree of lactose intolerance, and many are able to eat cheese and small amounts of milk ( in coffee or tea) If you don't know if you're lactose intolerant you can have your family doctor test you for it to see. If you are in question then you should find out if you're indeed lactose intolerant and then you can prevent unnecessary bloating from dairy products.

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Top #26 Best Ways 2 Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly~ #14 "Throw Away Sugar Substitutes"

Top #26 Best Ways To Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly..

#14 Throw Away Sugar Substitutes Sugar substitutes such as xylitol, manitol, maltitol, isomalt, lactitol, mannitol, erythritol tend to be found in sweet tasting products marketed as low calorie, low-carb and sugar-free such as gum, cookies, snack bars, hard candy and flavored water beverages. While it does help you to cut back on calories, these sugar substitutes stay in your digestive tract longer where it's broken down and fermented by bacteria and playing havoc on your gut. The result to this can be bloating and excessive gas, abdominal distention and even the not so pretty diarrhea. So, be more aware of these hidden sugar substitutes in your food, drink and cut back or avoid them all together. It just takes a little more of your time to check labels and additives to you meals, drinks and you can either cut them out or chose an alternative that doesn't have a sugar substitute in them. Being aware and taking the extra time to know what's in your food is so worth it in the long run for your healthy and your body.

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Top #26 Best Ways 2 Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly~ #13 "Spicy Foods"

Top #26 Best Ways To Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly Fat..

#13 Spicy Foods

Hot spicy food contribute to bloating, especially if your body is not used to spicy foods. Foods seasoned with black pepper, nutmeg, cloves, chili powder, hot sauces, onions, garlic, horseradish, and mustard to name some may irritate your stomach if you're not accustom to eating spicy foods, and it will cause your body to bloat. 

Eating Certain Foods: Consuming high-fat foods, spicy foods or other foods that tend to promote gas can cause uncomfortable bloating after eating. According to the Mayo Clinic, fatty foods can delay stomach-emptying, leading to uncomfortable fullness and abdominal bloating. High-sodium (salt) foods, spicy foods and carbonated beverages can also contribute to bloating. Some vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower, are known to cause gas for some people. Since vegetables are an important part of a nutritious diet, avoid these foods only if they cause negative symptoms. Cooking these vegetables can reduce the gas-promoting qualities, so you may need to experiment. High-fat, spicy and high-salt foods, such as red meat, deep-fried foods and potato chips, are associated with increased risk for heart disease and other conditions. By avoiding these, you may reduce your bloating symptoms and improve your overall health simultaneously.

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Top #26 Best Ways 2 Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly #12 "Less Alcohol Please"

Top #26 Best Ways To Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly...

#12 Less Alcohol Please
Yes, it's true consuming alcoholic drinks can make bloating worse. First of all alcohol is dehydrating and constipating, which exacerbates bloating. Secondly, many alcoholic drinks are carbonated (beer, cider, fizzy mixers, and champagne of course), which will puff you up like a round balloon. So, stay off the carbonated alcohol and always remember to rehydrate before you head for bed after you've had a night of drinking. Alcohol can irritate and erode the stomach lining, which can create bloating because the stomach is more vulnerable to digestive juices. The stomach's protective layer becomes weakened and so it is not so easy to digest foods. The digestive juices damage and inflame the stomach lining. Excessive alcohol can lead to gastritis, which produces bloating and other symptoms. Too much alcohol can make you feel hungry and eat more while eventually making you overweight and bloated. But it is not just they way you feel, it is what you are doing to your body if you continue to drink excessively. Stick to moderate drinking to give your body time to go through its fat-burning activities and keep you in healthy shape

 

Burning Fat It is the way alcohol deals with fat that can add pounds and bloat you up. Instead of storing away fat like some substances, alcohol is converted into acetate by the liver to slow or eliminate the body's fat burning processes. When the acetate levels rise, the body is forced to spend more time burning more acetate and less fat. So the fat left over sticks around.

Adding Fat.. Drinking too much alcohol stops the body from burning fat as energy just as skipping meals or not getting enough rest does. It is bad enough that alcohol is converted into acetate, which affects the body's fat burning abilities, but the body also makes another substance called acetyl CoA, which causes the body to make even more body fat, according to Shapefit.com. The body can only process a certain amount of alcohol per hour, about an ounce or less. It makes the liver work harder at all its functions, but it can only do so many during a short time. That's why excessive drinking can slow down the body's burning of fat and even be responsible for creating more fat. Additionally, you are not getting any vitamins, minerals or other nutrients, because alcohol has empty calories. Moderation if you're going to drink is the best way. Everyone loves to celebrate or relax and have a few beers, or glass of wine during the week and that is not a problem, it's when drinking on a regular basis and consuming too much alcohol in your system is when it's a problem. If you're wanting to banish your belly fat or rid your tummy of bloat cutting back on all alcoholic beverages or stopping completely is the best choice. Once you get to your goal, then you can maybe designate one day a week and special occasions to pop the cork and have some bubbly or a few beers and relax! Just don't relax to much when you reach your goal and make drinking alcohol a habit again... Do the work and sacrifice a little or a lot before you indulge.  

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Top #26 Best Ways 2 Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly #11"Cut Back on Fatty Foods"

Top #26 Best Ways To Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly..

#11 Cut Back on Fatty Foods

Fatty foods, especially fried foods can cause bloating because fat delays the stomach from emptying. This also increases the sensation of fullness and the feeling of heaviness after you eat. Cut back on all fatty foods and make sure the fat that you do consume is of the healthy sort. Monounsaturated fatty acids (aka MUFA) Some of these types of healthy fats are found in foods such as.. olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, flax, soybean and even dark chocolate to name a few.

A good clean diet along with regular exercise forms the cornerstone in any stragedy to lose belly fat. whether you have a lot of belly fat to lose or you just need to burn a little belly fat, you really need to pay careful consideration to your what you are allowing to pass through your lips, "Your Diet" Research as shown that there are foods that appear to increase belly fat, and foods that help you rid yourself of belly fat. So, again be aware of what you're eating and drinking, especially if you are trying to rid yourself of the dreaded belly fat or bloat. What you eat does really matter!

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Top #26 Best Ways 2 Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly~ #10 "Hide the Coffee"

Top #26 Best Ways To Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly...

10. Hide The Coffee

Coffee over stimulates the stomach and causing it to puff up and bloat. Try to cut back the amount of caffeine-laden drinks your consuming daily. These main culprits are of course coffee, tea, cola and chocolate. Caffeine is an irritant that could trigger symptoms of various digestive conditions, resulting in bloating. Irritable bowel syndrome is a condition that affects about one in five Americans with chronic diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, bloating and gas, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Irritable bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, can also be affected by caffeine consumption.

Milk may be a consideration... If you only develop bloating after drinking coffee that contains milk or creamer, you may be lactose intolerant. Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest the sugar found in milk, which commonly causes bloating, gas and diarrhea. Bloating is a common symptom of caffeine overdose. Caffeine is a stimulant drug that can have a negative impact on the body when taken in excess. So, it's best to be aware of how caffeine is effecting your body and cut back on your daily intake of caffeine in general. You're over all health and your body will feel much better without so much caffeine in your system everyday and the chances of being bloated will be very slim to none as well.

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Top #26 Best Ways 2 Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly~ #9 "Eat Slowly"

Top #26 Best Ways To Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly..

#9 Eat Slowly. Don't Gulp!

You can swallow excess air if you're eating too fast, gulping down both your meal and your drink. Often when you're taking big bites, gulping down your food too quickly large gulps of air get trapped in your digestive system and will cause your body to bloat. Just relax if possible and eat your food slowly. Try your best to make your meal time a relaxed occasion, and take that time to eat calmly and enjoy your food, not just consume it like a hungry animal in a hurry. We are not animals and no one is coming to steal your food from you. So, you should be able to slow your eating down even if you time to eat is limited. Eating when your rushed for time on the run or stressed out can interfer with your digestion system and will cause you to bloat. So, just relax and make time to eat your meal in a calm state. If you can't, and time is limited.. then beware of what eating fast and gulping your food down will do to your body.. Just eat slower to prevent bloating. A few extra minuets is worth preventing a bloated sore tummy.

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Top #26 Best Ways 2 Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly~ #8 "No More Gassy Veggies"

Top #26 Best Ways To Beat Bloat ~ Banish Your Belly..

#8 No More Gassy Veggies

It's unfortunate that a lot of healthy foods can cause bloating. Raffinose found in many vegetables is a indigestible carb will cause you to expand like the Michelin man. Humans don't process the enzyme needed to break down this complex carbohydrate, but the gas-producing bacteria that lives in our colon does. In the process of breaking down this carbohydrate the bacteria releases carbon dioxide, methane, and or hydrogen. Basically, the carbohydrate ferments in your colon producing gas and intestinal distress. People are effected by this in various degrees depending on each individual. Vegetables that bloat you are legumes and cruciferous vegetables that include 

1. Beans

2. Broccoli

3. Brussel Sprouts 

4. Cabbage 

5. Cauliflower 

6. Lettuce

If you enjoy eating these specific veggies and would love to continue eating them (as you should), you can supplement with a over-the-counter digestive aid such as "Beano" which contains the missing enzyme needed. This allows your body to break down the indigestible carbohydrate before those pesky, gas-producing bacteria in your gut can get a hold of it. Ergo, less or No gas. No one wants to be gassy, and especially while out around public, out to dinner or gathering where food is served.  

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Top #26 Best Ways 2 Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly #7 "Reduce Salt Intake"

Top #26 Best Ways To Beat Bloat~Banish Your Belly..

#7 Reduce Salt Intake

For the same reason you should drink a lot of water throughout the day, you should reduce your salt in take at every meal. Salt makes the body retain water, which causes bloating. Foods to be particular careful and aware of are... packaged food, processed foods, canned food and the deadly over salted restaurant meals. These foods tend to be incredibly high in salt to make them more tasty to us. Endeavor to prepare fresh meals at home as much as you possibly can. This will help you have total control of what is going in to your meals and then in your body. You can also try swapping your table salt for natural sea salt or kosher salt which are both lower in sodium, but will give your food the same salt flavor it needed. Before you go to grab a condiment to flavor your food, you should also know that soy sauce is also very high in sodium and will cause bloating. Instead go for fresh garlic, peppers, herbs and spices to add more flavor to your meals making them just as scrumptious and full of flavor.. Always be aware of what your putting on your food and therefore in your body.  It does matter and will matter more if you don't take notice more often or better yet all the time. It's true you are what you eat!

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