When Temptation Strikes...

By this time in the new year, you have come upon a lot of temptation, which could derail you from your healthy living goals. I know I have.

Today I want to talk about how to strengthen your willpower and practice self-control when it comes to food.

Let me warn you – it isn’t easy. It is one of those “practice makes perfect” things.

First, know your goals. What is your weight-loss goal? Imagine how good you’ll feel when you fit into that new size. Now think about what stands in the way: skipping your workouts, vending machines, your friend’s or hubby’s bad eating habits, being too busy to cook? The list goes on and on. Now, that you know what you are up against, check out the next step.

Second, devise a plan beforehand that helps you cope with situations listed above that may undo you. This shifts the decision-making moment from the danger zone (think chips in hand after a long day of work and no supper started) to a point in time when you are in touch with what you want to achieve (before you even get home from work). When you think through tempting scenarios in advance, you can overcome the temptations a lot easier. Try making an if-then plan. For example: If I get home late and have no idea what to make for dinner, then I will take out the frozen leftover chili and reheat that instead of eating take-out.

Don’t forget to treat yourself with kindness when you experience a setback. If you are too hard on yourself, it is easy to feel defeated and get off track with your goals. You know how to encourage other people and build them up, so try those same things on yourself. Sometimes we don’t even realize how critical we are being to ourselves. Be conscious of it for a day and if you are being too critical, turn that negativity into encouragement.

One of my favorite mantras – Don’t trade what you want most for what you want at this moment.

To Your Great Health and Making Great Choices!
Cara

Proper Deep Breathing - Ahhhhhhh...

Working, mothering, fathering, and all the other responsibilities we have can take a toll and cause a lot of stress and wear and tear on your body. Dealing with stress on a daily basis is a life skill because of the enormous impact that it has on our mental, physical, and emotional health.


Deep breathing and the rest it brings is essential to releasing stress and maintaining a healthy body and mind.
The problem is, most of us don't take the time to breathe deeply or correctly. We rob ourselves of the rest and relaxation proper deep breathing can bring.

So how do you breathe properly?

I love to practice deep breathing at the end of my Yoga/Pilates classes. But, really, you can do it anywhere and anytime.

1. You want to try to straighten and relax your body. If possible, remove any constrictive clothing and lie down.

2. Breathe in through your nose, and expand your abdomen until it arches upward and outward. At this point you have lowered your diaphragm and completely aerated the lower lobes of your lungs.
3. When this part of the breath has ended, breathe in further and expand your chest. This opens the second stage of a deep breath and earates the upper or super lobes of your lungs. Do this slowly and gradually, until the full expansion of your lungs is achieved.
4. Breathe out through your mouth. Let your stomach deflate and try to empty all the air out of your abdomen.
Focus on not causing tension in your shoulders or rib cage. If you're inhaling with your rib cage, you are not taking in air as much as you could if you inhale with your diaphragm. When you exhale, you should allow your diaphragm muscle to move up to push the air out.
Now go try it before you forget. The best way to remember something is to do it. Enjoy deep breathing and try to do this 3-5 times a day. It is going to feel sooooooo good!

To Your Relaxation,
Cara

Healthy Hair-Ojon™ Review

In my search for good health, I have been mainly looking at what goes in my body-food, water, air and exercise. I also know that what I put on or outside of my body gets absorbed into my body. Every spray, lotion, tamer, soap, shampoo, straightener, moisturizer, cleanser and toner somehow will get to my bloodstream. So, like my new found eating habits, I have been finding beauty products that are so much better for me. At the beginning of the year, I did a quick search on "natural hair care".

What popped up for me was Ojon™. I contacted the company, and got some products, used them, and did some research that I thought I would share with all of you.

Ojon is a tree in Central America. For years, the native people have harvested the nuts from the tree, and used the oil to protect their hair and skin. The protective and restorative properties of the nut are proven by the the people, and by scientific studies. But what about me? What would it do for my hair?

I first tried Damage Reverse Treatment. The thick potion had to be scooped out of the jar, and warmed with my hands, then applied to my hair and let sit. I washed it out and conditioned with Ojon Super Sleek, and then let it air dry most of the way. I used a few drops of the Damage Reverse Instant Restorative Serum mainly on the ends of my hair. Then I waited to see what my hair looked like without styling. I liked what I saw! My long, naturally curly hair was not frizzy or dry, but soft and shiny. Good Stuff! Could I have just found my new favorite product? A couple of weeks later, I went to the salon for my long overdue cut and highlight. The stylist said more than a few times how "healthy" and "great" my hair looked, even prior to cutting it. I brought my Ojon™ stash with me, including the oil, shampoo and conditioner for color treated hair, leave in Color Sustain, and Dry Recovery™ Conditioning Volumizing Foam . I have to say, I really liked the way I looked when I walked out.

I was given a bunch of hair products.....GIVEN is a big word here. Would I actually BUY some of these products? I am trying to be a good girl, and really do my homework on product safety, value, and effectiveness. Here's what I found out:

Ojon™ products are made from natural ingredients and 100% natural essential oils. They are made without: parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol, mineral oil, PABA, petrolatum, paraffin, DEA, synthetic color, or animal ingredients (except for cruelty-free honey and beeswax). I am pretty confident in the safety after reading about the Ojon™ purity. What do I think of the value? My favorite product, the Damage Reverse Instant Restorative Treatment costs $25. Honestly, this is a little more that I would normally spend on a product I haven't tried. However, the value lies in the fact that this product works, and only a very small amount is needed (like 5 drops for my length of hair). Therefore, I would say that the value is good. The other part of the value of this product is the company's commitment to sustainability and protection of the land, as well as the people of Honduras way of life. I can place value on companies that care.

The best place to get more (and there is a lot) of information is on the Ojon™ website. There, you can purchase the products right for your hair, and find more information on the science, the creation process, and the purity of Ojon™ products. You can also call or email their customer service, who I found was quick to respond and helpful.

If you have any questions about my Ojon™ experience, just ask me in a comment box below.

*Cathy was given products to review. No other compensation was given, and her thoughts are 100% her own.*

7 Weeks to Getting Ripped

Is it possible to change your body and get ripped and fit in 7 weeks? It sure is possible! 7 Weeks to Getting Ripped can assist you to do just that. It is the ultimate weight-free, gym-free training program.  Practically anyone can follow the day-by-day plan and achieve their fitness goals. Plus, you don't have to work out for 10 hours a day to do it. This program takes less than 2 hours per week.

I've found that too many exercise programs force you to do long unrealistic workouts or extreme diets in order to achieve results fast. 7 Weeks to Getting Ripped, written by Brett Stewart, is refreshingly different. The programs are easy to follow and there is a starting point for everyone...whether you are already in great shape or have a long way to go yet. Most of the exercises use your own body weight so you don't need to spend tons of money on fancy equipment. However you will need a pull-up bar and a medicine ball for several of the exercises so that might limit some people on the program. I don't have a pull-up bar in the house and so I couldn't do some of the exercises.

I appreciate that the book doesn't just hit you with an exercise routine, but also offers a number of valuable nutrition tips. If you are going to change your body fast, you have to have a good well-balanced nutrition plan as well. I appreciate his tips, such as keeping a food journal and backing off from the processed food that has invaded the American diet.

One thing I really love about this book are the exercise games in the back. Sometimes getting fit can get boring after doing the same routines over and over again. I'm always looking for ways to make exercise fresh and fun. 7 Weeks to Getting Ripped  offers individual and group games that make working out fun and interesting. If you have a friend or two, you can get an awesome workout in half an hour and have a lot of fun doing it!

To get started, buy your own copy off Amazon and start getting ripped!

*Cara was provided product to review from Ulysses Press, and she was under no obligation to review if she so chose. Nor was she under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product.*

Inflammation and Your Health

What does inflammation have to do with nutrition and why do you care? Well, let me explain. Inflammation is involved with a lot of diseases. We've known for years that things like arthritis, bursitis, colitis - in fact anything with an "itis" – are inflammatory diseases. However, in recent years we have also learned that inflammation plays an important role in heart disease, cancer and diabetes as well.


So the question is: "What can we do about inflammation?"

Here are my top 9 things that you can do to reduce inflammation.
#1: Don't smoke.
I probably didn't need to tell you about this one. But among all of the other bad things that cigarette smoke does to your health, it also triggers inflammation.
#2: Control your weight.
We used to think of fat tissue as a storage depot that basically just sits there. Now we know that fat tissue is also an endocrine gland - which is just a fancy way of saying that it releases hormones into the bloodstream. And when we are overweight our fat tissue releases a lot of inflammatory hormones into the bloodstream. That's not a good thing!
#3: Get plenty of exercise.
It's not entirely clear whether exercise reduces inflammation itself or whether it is exerting its beneficial effects on inflammation by helping with weight control and blood sugar control (see below). Nevertheless, among all the other benefits, exercise helps with inflammation too!
#4: Control blood sugar.
When blood sugar levels are high it leads to free radical production and the free radicals cause inflammation. Weight control and exercise are two of the best ways to control blood sugar levels for people with type 2 diabetes.
#5: Reduce intake of saturated and trans fats.
Diets high in saturated and trans fats have been shown to be associated with increased inflammation.
#6: Control blood pressure.
High blood pressure damages arterial walls, which causes inflammation.
#7: Eat foods with a low glycemic load.
That's just a fancy way of saying that you should eat foods that don't raise your blood sugar levels very much. That is why I say no white sugars and no white flours for sure!! Lots of protein is great!
#8: Make sure that you get plenty of antioxidants in your diet.
Antioxidants reduce free radical production and free radicals cause inflammation - so you want make sure that you are getting enough antioxidants in your diet on a daily basis. My advice, however, is to avoid megadoses of single antioxidant supplements by themselves. Recent clinical trials have suggested that they can do more harm than good. Make sure that your nutritional foundation is a supplement like Vitalizer that contains all of the naturally occurring antioxidants in balance. And eat lots of fresh produce!
#9: Make sure that you are getting adequate amounts of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet.
The American diet is actually quite deficient in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to lower blood pressure and to help control the insulin resistance that leads to elevated blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes. Omega-3 fatty acids have also been shown to be beneficial in several types of inflammatory diseases, so omega-3 fatty acids deserve to be in everyone's anti-inflammation program.(They are included in the Vitalizer and, of course, OmegaGuard)
So there you have it. Nine steps that you can take to reduce inflammation. A lot of these are ones that you want to follow not just for inflammation, but for so many other things related to great health as well!

To Your Health!
Cara

Lose Weight Without Dieting or Working Out Book Review

As most of you know, it is my passion to help others feel better, reach their goals, and live as healthy as they can.

JJ Smith, the author of Lose Weight Without Dieting or Working Out, has a similar passion. It is her passion to help others discover the surprising secrets to losing weight fast and keeping it off.  JJ has dedicated her life to the field of healthy eating and living. JJ educates others and shares with them the natural remedies to stay slim, restore health, and look and feel younger.

She also has a similar story to mine that led her to her current passions. While researching how to heal her body and solve her own weight problems, she discovered that the key to successful weight loss comes from detoxifying the body, balancing the hormones, and speeding up metabolism.  When you feed your body the right foods, you’ll learn to feel better than you’ve ever felt before. Amen to that, sister!

While I am not a huge fan of books that sound like they promise the world, I am a fan of many of the things in JJ's book, Lose Weight Without Dieting or Working Out! Right from the beginning, I agree with her about the dieting thing. I hate the word diet. I think when we say we are "on a diet," that underneath that, we are telling ourselves that we are out of control, food maniacs, and that we need something like a diet to stop our craziness. I don't like that lie.

Instead of diets, JJ Smith offers some great tips for simply eating smart. I love that! Her DEM System (Detox, Eat, Move) is right on the money, and although she says in the title that you can lose weight without working out, she still advocates exercise. Whew! I thought I was going to be disappointed with her book.

There are great tips in this book that WILL work and will help you get healthier while you lose weight, so I am a fan. I tell my own clients much of the same stuff in this book, so I think she is right on. The book is VERY comprehensive and covers almost every question you might have. Two thumbs up from me!

Order this book for yourself or someone you love from Amazon or find it at your local bookstore, library or other online stores.

*Cara was provided product to review from Adiva Publishing, and she was under no obligation to review if she so chose. Nor was she under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product.*

Minimus.biz Review

My hubby and I are leaving in two days to head out on our vacation, and it can NOT come soon enough for me. I can't wait to soak up the sun, snorkel and explore 7 islands in the Caribbean, hike a volcano and go extreme canyoning. Should be a blast!

But, before I get to the cruise, I have to get through the airports. You know how annoying that can be. Plus, we are only taking carry-on luggage, so it will be a tight squeeze. Between the 3.4 oz. liquid limit and the limited space in our luggage, I am extremely thankful for Minimus.biz.

With tons and tons of products that are individual or travel sized, they have everything you need for traveling through airports. I am so happy to see that they even had a great selection of organic and natural products. Here is what I received for our trip:

California Baby Shampoo and Body Wash
Kiss My Face Hand Creme
Kiss My Face Filthy Rich Moisturizer Lavendar and Citrus
EO Shampoo and Conditioner Sweet Orange

Each of these products is between $1-2 per item, so they are very affordable. To find all their organic products, all you have to do is search "organic", and up pops seven pages of great organic products! Or you can click on "Personal Care" and find the subcategory, "Organic and Natural Personal Care." If you want to find other products they offer, they have a huge list of categories to choose from - all the way from baby and toddler to food to toys and games. Make sure to also check out their sale section.

With free shipping on orders over $20 and comparable pricing to your neighborhood stores, Minimus.biz is a great stress-free place to shop when you need travel essentials.

*Cara was provided product to review from Minimus.biz, and she was under no obligation to review if she so chose. Nor was she under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product.*

Supreme 90 Day System Review and Giveaway

Thanks to Total Fitness DVDs, I had the chance to do some double workouts (my own classes and the Supreme 90 Day DVDs) to get my body in the best shape I could before my anniversary vacation with my hubby next week.

Total Fitness DVDs works hard to find the lowest prices on brand new, factory sealed, awesome fitness workouts so you don't have to shop around to find the best savings and best products. You can trust them to do the work for you. I love that they have a huge variety, free shipping on orders over $19 and an organized website to help you find what you are looking for.



As I was browsing, I ran across the Supreme 90 Day DVD Set. After reading about it a bit more, I knew I had to try it. The set includes 10 different workout DVDs, all of which are kick-butt, fast-moving, and help get your body toned fast. I believe it is modeled to be a cheaper version of P90X. I thought it lived up to all of its claims, and it is a great deal for a very reasonable price.

The workouts are all right around 30 minutes, which is easy to fit in every day. This set also comes with a calendar and eating guide to help keep you on track with getting in your best shape yet. The only equipment you need is a stability ball and weights. And if you don't have a stability ball, he does give modifications.

The instructor, Tom Holland, is a good motivator. He really kept me going during my early morning workouts when I wondered if I should just crawl back into bed. He woke me up and got me pumped up to finish each workout strong. My only criticism is that I would appreciate if he would give a little more instruction on how many reps are expected for each move, since I was confused sometimes about how many I was supposed to be doing. I just followed the background exercisers and switched when they switched.

Overall, I LOVE this program, and I would recommend it to everyone. You can make it as challenging as you want by increasing your reps or increasing your weights. So, it is perfect for beginners or those who want a really hard workout.

You can find it on Total Fitness DVDs for only $19.95, which means you will also get FREE SHIPPING. What is there not to love about that? They also offer a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, and I know you will love this workout and love seeing your body get stronger and stronger! Remember, fit is the new skinny!

Win It: Total Fitness DVDs is generously offering (1) Supreme 90 Day Set to (1) lucky winner!

Enter here for a chance to win: