Archive Monthly Archives: March 2017

Try These DIY Tips for a Confidence Boost

March 28, 2017

Out with the old, in with the new.

Let’s talk about how to build all-over body confidence. I’m excited to be sharing my personal experience with self-esteem and body image, how they go hand in hand, and what we need to do to stay confide

Most people battle with low self-esteem and body confidence at some point in life. Perhaps you wish your skin was clearer, or that your stomach was flatter, or your nose was smaller, or maybe you wish you were taller or shorter. These feelings apply to both men and women.

The Self-Image Puzzle

There are mornings when I stand in front of a mirror looking at myself. I check out my arms, my stomach
and even my butt, and if I’m already feeling low, I can start to feel worse. I decide I want to look like I did
when I was 22 years old. I start to get down on myself, and I can literally feel my confidence slipping away.

After a full body bashing, I continue to torture myself by scrutinizing my face in one of those magnifying mirrors. Then I think, “Oh great, there’s a new little wrinkle developing. Oh wonderful, a stray hair randomly growing some place it shouldn’t be.” Sigh… If it weren’t for the fear of seven years of bad luck, that mirror would be history.

The Self-Confidence Solution

In my mind, I’m still in my early 20s. But my mind and my body are definitely not on the same page. Often, our body image is directly tied to our self-esteem. And there’s no reason why we shouldn’t have all-over body confidence no matter what we look like. It’s important to embrace who we are today and let go of the past. Let go of the standardized perceptions of beauty, and find confidence from within. And the best part is, if there’s something we are unhappy about––we have the power to change it.

What bothers us the most is what no one notices about us

When we do work on ourselves and we see change, our confidence starts to build. Little things can make a huge impact. For me, it was cleaning out my closet. I used to hold onto clothes forever. Every time I’d walk in my closet I would see a certain pair of ripped jeans, circa 1985. And my mind would say, “Remember when you were a skinny young thing and rocked those jeans?” That one single thought would zap my self-confidence and I would start to feel bad about myself. The solution? Get rid of the jeans. I know it’s simple, but for me not holding on to the past is important. No one needs a daily reminder of something that might make them feel bad for no reason. Everyone has different concerns, but we all have the power to improve how we view ourselves.

Here are few simple rules you can follow to create all-over body confidence and improve your self-esteem:

Self-Image and Self-Confidence Go Hand in Hand
Body confidence rule 1: Be realistic

It’s OK not to look like you did when you were 22. Think back to the good old days. Were you wearing fashions that belong in the past? Platform shoes, bell-bottoms or skinny ties? Perhaps it was big shoulder pads, acid-wash jeans or a crop top? Enough reminders of past fashion! Whatever the case, let’s admit it once and for all: we really do look better now than we did then. If you aren’t sure, show an old picture of yourself to someone who’s a decade younger than you. I showed my kids a picture of me rocking a once-trendy outfit and––love ‘em––they burst out laughing. Let’s romanticize the future, not the past.

Body confidence rule 2: Focus on the positive

You know that feeling you get when someone randomly tells you that they love your shoes, or they think your hair looks great? Or when someone asks, “Have you been working out?” Think about how you feel in those moments. We all have many positive attributes, but sometimes just one self-perceived negative overrules the many positives.

Let’s change our focus. Look in the mirror and what do you see? Focus on the good things. Do you have nice shiny hair, sparkly eyes, beautiful white teeth, toned abs or glowing skin? Compliment yourself on what you love about you each and every day. And own it.

Body confidence rule 3: Change is good

If you want to change something about yourself, do it sooner rather than later. If it’s your hair, try a new
cut. If you’re losing your hair and it’s making you insecure, get rid of it. I know it’s difficult, but Taye Diggs, Jason Statham, Dwayne Johnson and Pitbull are all bald and they exude self-confidence. And hey, even yours truly was bald for a few years. Gentlemen, trust me, bald can be very sexy.

Worried about your weight? Today is the day to make a change. Read one of Samantha’s or Susan’s
articles to help get you started. The sooner you get started on making a change, the sooner you’ll start feeling better about yourself.

Remember, beauty is found in the eye of the beholder, not on the pages of a fashion magazine. Throw your shoulders back, stand up tall, lift your chin up and smile. Love yourself, love your family and love your friends. Compliment yourself and others every day and be confident in who you are. Self-confidence exudes positivity.

A positive self-image equals self-confidence. Today is the day to make a change for the better.

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Nine Food-Swap Ideas for a Healthier Diet

Replace your bowl of cereal with a protein shake.

Trying to make your diet healthier, but don’t know where to start? Just a few easy food swaps can give your diet a nutrition boost.

Knowing how to choose a healthy diet is one thing, but putting healthy eating into practice can sometimes
be a lot harder to do. This week, I’m going to show you nine food swaps that can put you on the path to
healthy eating in no time.

Sure, your diet would probably be a lot healthier if you cut back on fats and sweets, opted for leaner proteins, ate more fruits and vegetables and chose better snacks. But all that can seem overwhelming—especially when you can barely even manage to work in a banana or a side of green beans every once in a while. When you feel as if there are too many things to change all at once, you may decide it’s simpler to just do nothing. So, why not try making a food swap plan instead and in the process, make your daily diet a whole lot healthier? Here are some ideas:

Nine Easy Food Swaps to Make Your Diet Healthier

1) Protein shake instead of bowl of cereal.

A bowl of cereal with milk is quick and easy, but you can pack a lot more nutrition into an equally easy protein shake.

Why it’s better: A protein shake made with protein powder, milk or soy milk and fruit will give you more protein, which gives your meal more staying power. Plus, the fruit contributes vitamins, minerals and filling fiber. Since you’ll be drinking the milk, rather than leaving it at the bottom of the cereal bowl, you’ll get a good dose of calcium, too.

2) Plain yogurt and fruit instead of pre-mixed yogurt.

Pre-mixed fruit yogurt has very little fruit,
and often a lot of sugar. It really doesn’t take that long to slice some fresh fruit into plain nonfat yogurt and drizzle with a little honey or maple syrup. Or, zap some frozen fruit in the microwave for a minute or two, then stir in your yogurt.

Why it’s better: You’ll be getting more fruit and fiber, more protein and less sugar.

3) Spinach salad instead of iceberg lettuce.

Leafy greens are great, but some greens like spinach are nutrition superstars. Instead of lettuce, try making salads with mild baby spinach.

Why it’s better: A serving of spinach has three times more potassium, calcium and vitamin C, and
50% more vitamin A than a serving of iceberg lettuce.

4) Beans instead of rice or pasta.

Starchy sides of white rice or regular pasta don’t pack the vitamins, minerals and fiber that whole grains do. While brown rice or whole grain noodles would be better, a serving of beans offers up even more nutrition.

Why it’s better: Swapping in beans for a side of rice or pasta means you’ll get more iron and more
protein.

5) Edamame soybeans instead of chips.

When you’re craving something savory for a snack, try some edamame soybeans instead of salty chips. Look for bags of frozen edamame in the pod at your grocery store. After a five minute dip in boiling water, they’re ready to eat.

Why it’s better: A half-cup of shelled edamame soybeans has about 9 g of fiber, 11 g of protein, and around 10% of your daily needs for vitamin C and iron—all for about 120 calories. Show me a chip that can do that! Also, it takes time to remove the beans from the pods, which slows down the rate at which you eat.

6) Canned salmon instead of canned tuna.

Canned tuna is a great food, but canned salmon (which works well in most recipes calling for tuna) has a nutritional advantage since it contains more beneficial fat.

Why it’s better: Wild-caught salmon (nearly all canned salmon is wild) contains a higher proportion of omega-3 fatty acids compared to farmed salmon. Being a fattier fish, a serving of salmon has about twice the omega-3 fatty acids as a serving of tuna.

7) Avocado instead of mayonnaise or other fats.

Avocado can be a great substitute for less healthy fat sources in all kinds of dishes. One of my favorite ways to use it is to replace the mayonnaise used in tuna (or salmon!) salad. Mashed avocado can replace fatty dressings and sauces: it makes a great dip for raw veggies, and it’s wonderful on grilled fish or chicken.

Why it’s better: Avocado is a good source of monounsaturated fatty acids, similar to what’s found
in other beneficial fats like olive oil and nuts.

8) Berries instead of orange juice.

If you’re trying to work more fruit into your diet, whole fruit is the way to go. The calories in fruit juice can add up quickly, and juice just doesn’t fill you up.

Why it’s better: Fiber is what makes whole fruits more filling compared to fruit juice, and berries
are some of the highest fiber fruits around. Spend 50 calories on a serving of raspberries, and you get a whopping seven grams of fiber in return.

9) Veggie burger instead of beef.

If beef burgers are a menu staple, try this food swap. Go for veggie burgers made with soy protein or beans instead. When they’re crumbled on top of a salad or nestled on a whole grain bun with plenty of onion, lettuce and tomato, they’re a pretty good substitute for the real thing.

Why it’s better: You’re getting your protein from a plant source, which means a lot less fat and saturated fat than what you’d get from the ground beef.

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Fitness Motivation: Be Strong. Be Beautiful. Be You.

Build muscle tone with resistance training.

We’ve been misled by the overabundance of toned physiques we see daily in the media. It’s time to
reassess what our idea of “beautiful” is.

We are constantly exposed to images of toned physiques, which aren’t always a negative thing, but they can often be used in a misleading way. I believe that there is a positive way to look at images of fit and healthy people. In the same way that seeing fast food ads makes you start craving unhealthy food, seeing healthy body imagery can serve as a motivating force to get you off the couch and moving. This initial, externally-focused motivation of wanting a perfect body, such as those we see in magazines or online, is often quickly replaced by a true understanding of how living a healthy, active lifestyle can make you feel and look better.

What’s Your Motivation?

Quite often people feel guilty for being motivated by vanity, but it doesn’t matter what your source of motivation is. Whether you’re motivated by health benefits, achieving your idea of a perfect physique or by really cute active wear that’s caught your attention, it’s okay. You don’t need to feel guilt about your reasons for wanting to improve. So long as you’re making positive steps toward getting fit and healthy, it’s a positive thing. Whatever your overall body goal is, just remember that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes and true beauty is what happens on the inside of your body. Maintaining an overall body composition that is within a healthy range and feeling good is what I believe is most important. Of course, matching your workout shoes to your outfit is a great perk, too.

Stay Positive

We should embrace our friends who are sharing their fitness progress, feel happy for the fitness models on the cover of magazines and be inspired by the women who like to wear fabulous outfits to the gym. Always remember that your positive progress and enthusiasm can serve as inspiration for others, too. We all have certain areas of the body that frustrate us and you shouldn’t feel guilty if your motivation for fitness and healthy eating comes from trying to correct your trouble areas. In fact, this is often a passing phase and eventually the amazing feeling that a healthy lifestyle evokes will allow you to forget about that specific area altogether.

Here are some tips to help you with stubborn female trouble spots while keeping your overall health as your priority:

Refine your overall approach:

Work toward achieving an improved overall fitness level and incorporate your body-specific or target goals into that plan. Working on your trouble spots a few times a week will help you to feel a sense of control.

Boost your cardio to burn fat:

Cardiovascular exercises, such as running, cycling, biking and swimming, burn calories and often even stored body fat. If you’re trying to burn some fat off your hips and booty, making sure that you engage in cardio is essential. Remember that you can’t decide where your body will burn fat from—there is no such thing as spot reduction. However, adding 30-45 minutes of cardio, three days a week, will help you to burn fat. To make your cardio lower body specific, try running, climbing hills or give spinning a try.

Build up your muscles:

If you want to improve the muscle tone in your lower body, you must do lower body exercises as part of your routine. My favorites for toning the hips and booty are squats, lunges, step-ups and leg lifts. Even if your aim is to slim down, building muscle is a perfect choice. Start out by performing the exercises, using your body weight, then progress to adding resistance with dumbbells or a bar. Three days a week for 30 minutes is a great start.

Make small dietary changes:

Having good nutrition is one of the most important factors of improving your body. If you want to increase your muscle mass, you must be consuming adequate protein. If you increase the amount of exercise that you do, you must ensure that you are staying well-hydrated and consuming good carbohydrates. My tip is to write down your daily consumption in a food diary so that you can see what you are putting into your body. Make small changes to cut out any junk foods and replace them with healthier options. If you focus on snack time to start with, you may be surprised how many hidden calories you’re consuming. A reduction of just a few hundred calories a day can make a big impact on your body composition over time.

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Herbalife Nutrition Invites Special Olympics Southern California Athletes to Train at Proactive Sports Performance

By Dana Ryan, Ph.D., M.A., senior manager, Herbalife March 23, 2017 On Wednesday, February 22, Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) athletes had the unique opportunity to train alongside athletes headed to the NFL Scouting Combine* in March at Proactive Sports…

Read more on Herbalife Nutrition Invites Special Olympics Southern California Athletes to Train at Proactive Sports Performance at I Am Herbalife.

Healthy Nails Start with Healthy Foods

Protein supports nail health.

It takes the right nutrients to help support strong, healthy nails.

Just like your skin and hair, your fingernails are a window to the “world within”––the health of your skin, hair and nails are a reflection of what you put into your body. And, like any other living tissue, your fingernails rely on a steady supply of nutrients to keep them strong and healthy.

Fingernail Fundamentals

Your nails are made up of layers of protein known as keratin, the same protein found in your hair. And they tend to grow at a fixed rate, with some slight variations: men’s nails usually grow faster than women’s (except during pregnancy, when the pace often picks up); fingernails grow faster than toenails; the nails on your little fingers grow more slowly than the others; and nails usually grow faster in the summer than in the winter. Also, the hardness of your nails is largely determined by genetics.

Even though you can’t make your nails grow faster or make them harder, it’s important to provide them with the nutrients they need to stay strong and healthy. That way, your nails may be able to grow longer since they may be less likely to crack or break.

Four Nutrients that Support Nail Health

Protein

Since your nails are composed primarily of protein, it should come as no surprise that you need adequate protein in your diet to support the health of your nails. Choose from a range of low-fat plant and animal sources: soy and other beans, eggs, dairy products, seafood, poultry and lean meats.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Beneficial fats can help keep your nails moisturized, keeping them from appearing dry and dull. Fish is the best source of these omega 3s but you can also find omega-3s in walnuts, chia seeds and flaxseeds.

Zinc

Zinc is a mineral that’s vitally important in protein synthesis, as it helps your body manufacture the keratin protein in your nails. Oysters are the richest source of zinc, but you’ll also find it in other proteins–meat, fish, poultry, beans and yogurt–as well as nuts.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a multitasker mineral–it’s needed for literally hundreds of chemical reactions in your body and, like zinc, helps your body to manufacture the proteins found in your nails. Magnesium is easy to get because it’s so widespread in healthy foods. Green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans, avocado, whole grains, yogurt and soymilk are all good sources of magnesium.

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Three Steps to a Stronger You

Balance your upper and lower body exercises.

Muscle building doesn’t have to be difficult. Let’s break it down in three simple steps.

Muscle building doesn’t have to be difficult. Let’s break it down in three simple steps. Getting results and changing your body composition takes hard work and consistency. Whether your goal is to build muscle, improve your overall fitness level or lose weight, you must do certain things on a regular basis to reach your ultimate goal. These three steps will work within your fitness improvement regimen and contribute to your muscle-building plan.

Step 1. Perform specific exercises on a regular basis.
Step 2. Eat a well-balanced diet including adequate amounts of protein and micronutrients.
Step 3. Schedule some rest days to allow for adaptations to occur.

In order to stimulate muscle growth, your body must be pushed with resistance style exercises. Muscle growth occurs when small muscle fibers tear as a result of stress, and then regenerate themselves. This growth occurs during periods of rest, and your body needs fuel to regenerate efficiently.

Your muscle-building plan must include the following:

  • Hard work: Stimulate muscle tissue by training hard. Use your body weight as resistance, or lift weights on a regular basis, 3-4 times per week.
  • Balance: Do exercises for the upper and lower body to ensure you maintain a good muscular balance in your body.
  • Patience: Allow time for the results to appear. It takes time to see muscle growth and gain strength.
  • Rest days: Don’t over-train because your recovery ability will be compromised. Plan to take at least 1 or 2 rest days per week.
  • Motivation: Understand that you need to motivate yourself to make it happen.

Best Way to Train for Muscle-Building

Progressive training is important if you want your muscle-building routine to be productive. You must be dedicated to training in a way that helps you to improve over time. If you lift the same amount of resistance for the same number of repetitions (reps) during each workout session, you’ll stay the same. At some point, you must attempt to either perform more reps, or use more resistance.

Following a reps and weight increase schedule will allow you to easily measure if you’re improving from workout to workout. Rep ranges is a simple concept to understand and apply to your training.

I like to recommend a rep range of 10-14 for strength training in the initial stages, especially when someone is just getting started. High reps will force you to choose a moderate weight. This way you’ll become proficient with exercise form (important for safety) as the weight increases. As your workouts transition more into the power range, increase weight and decrease reps.

Beginning a Muscle-Building Plan

Your goal in your first workout is to reach muscular fatigue within the set range using a set amount of resistance. For example, if 50lbs was your chosen weight for squats and you achieved twelve perfect reps, you’d simply record 1 set of squats = 50lbs 12 reps.

The goal in your next workout would be to achieve more reps with the same weight until you can perform 14 full reps. Achieving the set reps should prompt you to increase resistance in your following session, because the top end of the rep range was achieved.

Increasing Weight

The resistance for that set should be increased between 5-10% with the goal of achieving at least 10 reps in the 10-14 rep range.

Your ongoing goal should be to increase the number of reps within the rep range and then increase the amount of resistance when the top end of the range is reached. This method of training is slow, but it’s a foolproof way to increase your overall strength and muscle mass.

Diet

You’ll need to ensure that you’re getting enough fuel for your workouts and recovery. You should aim to have a good breakfast, a mid-morning snack, a sensible lunch, a mid-afternoon snack and then an appropriate dinner in the evening.

You’re attempting to build muscle and you need fuel to accomplish that. You can’t restrict your calories too much, but don’t get confused by that. You should always restrict your consumption of unhealthy calories. Choose nutrient-dense foods that are high in protein and get your carbohydrates from whole grains and fruits. Many people who are trying to gain weight or muscle will make the mistake of thinking they can eat a lot of unhealthy food. This will make you gain weight, but weight gain with unhealthy foods is detrimental to your overall health. Be sensible with your choices.

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Is Bacon the Enemy of Good Health? Five Herbalife Nutrition Experts Weigh in On the Findings of a New Study

March 21, 2017 A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) singles out 10 foods and nutrients that, when over or under consumed, may contribute to almost half of all deaths in the United States….

Read more on Is Bacon the Enemy of Good Health? Five Herbalife Nutrition Experts Weigh in On the Findings of a New Study at I Am Herbalife.

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