Reshape your shape!

There are a ton of ads out there for reshaping your shape. I even have a button I wear around town that has those words on it as well. I am not talking about that though...I wanted to do a product review for something I purchased from Shape Magazine. They have a web site store called the www.shapeboutique.com and that is where I purchased a video called Shape pilates. When you purchase the product some of the proceeds also goes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation...anyway, it arrived in the mail and I was excited. I put the dvd in and soon figured out that doing this exercise on a hard wood floor was not going well. So, if you do not have a exercise mat...definitely get one and I found one at target for $10 bucks. I would also have some hand weights and you can find those at target or check garage sales...etc. Its a great investment anyway. One pair of a 5 pound weights would be perfect! The pilates video was 30 minutes in length and easy to follow. I find that eventhough I work out all the time this dvd was challenging and I have a point to work up to...its fine to not start out at the same level of the instructor. Then on the dvd is a bonus menu and to my surprise there is a 12 minute..yes, you heard me right "12 minute" all over body work-out! It involves a quick warm-up, weights, the mat and some good streches at the end. I loved it! Short but S-W-E-E-T! I think ANYBODY can handle 12 minutes...think about it! In just 12 short minutes a day...you can change the way you look. Something to think about!

Herbalize your Body!: Back To School Discount....

Herbalize your Body!: Back To School Discount....

Back To School Discount....

Can you believe it is August 9th!? Have you set any health goals for the summer? If not...its not too late. You still have time to rev-up your body. Have you ever though about doing a mini marathon or a mini triathalon. As I have learned....a mini marathon is only 5K or 3 miles. Herbalife the company is an official sponsor of a triathalon coming up in September out in Los Angeles. I am not sure it will be possible to go, however, I have been training for it as if I were going to be in it. This has proven successful. I started my training only two short months ago...the first month I worked on getting to 1.5 miles then 2.0, 2.5 and finally 3 miles. I am currently jogging 3 miles, however, my speed is not by any means lightning fast. I want to maintain the 3 miles and possibly get up to 5 and then work on speed...haha. My point is this....if you can commit to an activity like a marathon this will motivate you to stick to a "plan of action"!

Summer is the time to Sizzle

I have not been on here in a while, however, recently I sent out a newsletter to my email list about summer products that can help you with your health goals. What's that mean Nicole? Well, the summer is a great time to take advantage of the great weather by mowing the grass, working in a garden, walking the dog...whatever. Just get outside and move! Since you will be more active its a good idea to stay hydrated. There are a ton of products on the market to give your body what it needs to keep going. Some of the drinks I enjoy that are the vitamin waters that you find in the gas stations and I even find them at the gym. I offer some great products as well.

Hydration Drink: http://herbal-nutrition.net/products/show/id/95/distributor/all-wayshealth

Energy Drink: http://herbal-nutrition.net/products/show/id/117/distributor/all-wayshealth

And be sure to also get in your healthy snacks throughout the day as well. I think that proteins bars, tuna, yogurt, fruit are all great choices. Bars are great because they transport easily and you can take them with you for errands or when you go outside for activities. I think the Atkins bars are good and I am a major lover of Kashi bars. I absolutley love the chocolate almond bars made by Kashi. I also enjoy a chocolate peanut bar that can be found on my online store. Happy snacking!

Shake

A meal replacement shake has a lot of advantages

Top reasons to shake:
1. Easy to prepare
2. Provides essential vitamins & minerals
3. good source of energy
4. good source of protein
5. keeps you feeling full & satisfied until your next meal

I have mentioned protein before and why it is important....protein helps us feel full for longer periods of time and when you are trying to lose weight it will help with maintaing lean muscle mass as well as curbing carbohydrate cravings.

The main proteins that you see in meal replacement shakes are soy & whey.

What's the big deal with regards to protein?
Its good for you because it provides your body with all the essential amino acids. The amino acids are needed by the body for growth, repair, and maintenance of body tissues. There are 20 total and eleven can be made by the body itself, while the other nine which are called essential amino acids ~ must come from the diet.

Check out these resources for more info:
Great site to visit:http://www.dietitian.com/protein.html
FDA web site page:http://www.fda.gov/Fdac/features/2000/300_soy.html

Whey protein site: http://www.wheyoflife.org/faq.cfm#9 . This site tells you how whey protein is made and the many benefits.

Egg Protein: Is the most popular and is easily digested by the body.

If you would like to learn more about soy, whey or egg protein. Type them into your search engine...there is a ton of information out there right at your fingertips!

I personally have at least one protein shake every day. The shake I have been taking in the past several months has all three protein sources in it. I mix enough protein powder in that I take in at least 30 grams per shake. I also add in frozen fruit ( blueberries ), a 1/2 of a bananna ( not always ) and a tiny pinch of peanut butter and some herbal tea concentrate. It is a great way to start my day!

If you would like to take a look at the protein shake I use visit: http://herbal-nutrition.net/productdetail.php3?username=all-wayshealth&product_id=BULKANDMUSCLE .

Gadgets

OK....I was reading an article the other day at the gym and it had some really neat fun gadget stuff in it.... If you are interested and would like to check it out...go to the links:

http://www.thebodybug.com
http://www.thecompetitiveedge.com
http://www.accufitness.com
http://www.streamingcolors.com
http://www.sportline.com/hydracoach


Check these out and see if maybe you could use any of these tools to help you reach your next level of nutrition & fitness.

I also recently joined an online health & wellness site...it is a fun site with a lot of interesting content and an opportunity to test new health & wellness products. To visit that site: http://www.healthandwellnessclub.com

Enjoy!

I thought I would have been able to come back to cover different hearth health supplements....life gets busy though. Anyway, I am here to discuss the rest of the products that can be effective aides to circulation and heart health. There is a product called Nitric Oxide. I read a book about this that I purchased from amazon.com that was writeen by Dr. Lou Ignarro who is a nobel laureate in medicine. Nitric Oxide in a nutsell helps the body with circulation, keeps vessels toned and flexible, supports healthy blood pressure levels already in normal ranges and it can help with increasing blood flow to your heart.

Garlic is another great supplement for your heart health. Why? Garlic also supports circulation and offers antioxidant protection. What is an antioxidant? When our cells are at work in our body they create waste which is called free radicals...the antioxidants come in and clean up the waste. That is how I understand it anyway.

Vitamin E and the omega supplements are great and I talked about those last time, however, there is another Oil you can add into the mix called Neptune Krill Oil. Neptune Krill Oil does not contain any mercury and it has many benefits to the body. It is best known for keeping the membranes of cells strong and can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels that are within a normal range.