It's Time to Lose Those Unwanted Pounds

       The New Year is upon us and the holiday season is just passing. With this most have eaten more than their share of food and with that we may have put on a few extra pounds. If that wasn’t the case many of us have those pounds that we have wanted to shed for a while but just don’t have the discipline to work out or say no to that second helping or that dessert that we want. As well as when you haven’t exercised for a period of time your metabolism may become dormant. When this happens you need to kick start your body to get it moving. Instead of gaining weight or having it impossible to lose you will be able to start to have those unwanted pounds come off. It will be a slow process but with the want and the will you can succeed. We has a country have to stop saying that it is okay to have extra curves, when we know we didn’t have them at one time. Do you know they are making clothes sizes bigger, a size 5 is now a 7 or bigger. Why do they do this? To sell clothes. People feel better when they are fitting into smaller clothes. We know when we are gaining weight we see it every time we get out of the shower, or see ourselves naked. But since our society is saying it is okay, people took this and ran with it. As Dr. Oz is saying we need to stop making excuses and lose this weight that we know should not be on our bodies. We would feel better, not only because we can fit into the clothes we always wanted, it’s healthier for us. I am going to post healthy foods and meals, short easy videos to follow and ways to make you losing successful. I have been in this field for a long time and have had a very successful rate with my clients. Let me help you get in control of your weight. Barbara Jeanne xo

How to Make Sure You Keep the Pounds Off During the Holidays!

The holidays are upon us and if we don’t watch our eating we can put on those extra pounds very easily. So how do we keep those pounds off? This is very easy. All you do is keep watch on your clothes. If they seem to get a bit tight then you know you have to slow down on the munching. Pounds can sneak on so quickly that you don’t want to gain five ponds and then say no big deal. It is actually very easy to put on five pounds a week by the end of the holiday season you can gain twenty five pounds and it now becomes your burden. Also making you very unhappy when you are not fitting into that cute dress you had in mind for New Years. The worse is to go to the store and just from those few pounds all those dresses you put on seems to makes you feel uncomfortable. Bringing you down that you walk out of the store without that wanted dress you have had your eye on. Besides watching your waist line by how your clothes are fitting, remember you are what you eat. So don’t pick and pick on the holiday trays put out in the office, or when you’re out visiting. Lastly, put on holiday music that is upbeat and dance around. Pick at least four of your favorite songs and dance. It doesn’t matter what you do, if you can or can’t dance. Just boogie that butt and have fun; it’s not only good for the body but your mind as well. It will speed up your metabolism and help keep that weight off. It might even help you lose a few pounds. Either way keeping the weight off during the holidays will be one less thing you have to worry about besides all those bills you accrue buying presents. Barbara Jeanne xo

Spicing Up Your Summer Wardrobe to Keep it Rockin Throughout The Colder Months

So the weather is getting colder but you have some cute outfits that you love and you don’t want to put away into the trunk filled with all of your summer clothes. Don’t sweat it sweater it. That’s right getting a couple winter sweaters can allow you to switch and match and create different outfits. You can put together a winter wardrobe using some of your favorite summer pieces. This way you can continue to wear your favorite outfits throughout the colder months. Don’t just stay with the standard sweater. Get a little funky if you like. Try a longer sweater with a summer dress some tights that will keep your legs warm and boot to the knee or thigh hi boots. Even if you carry a few extra pounds the long sweater and these types of boots will elongate your appearance. You can get a sweater that goes to your hips a nice pair of jeans and a little summer top. Pair this up with a pair of heels will once again make it go from boring to stunning. Throw on some cool jewelry and you will look super-hot. You just have to use your imagination and mix and match and you will see that you have many outfits you can put together. Last idea; try to find a long sweater with a hood (love hoods) if possible, the length is important. Next get your favorite summer outfit, a skirt, dress, or jeans with a summer top or tee shirt and your favorite boots. Weather if they are Uggs or rider boots, any boots it doesn’t; you got a more casual outfit and look. So go and find some super cute sweaters that are different lengths and different colors and have some fun. Barbara Jeanne xo

Getting Your Life Under Control,Take Charge Of Your Health & Happiness

It seems that people are having it a bit harder when it comes to everyday life than we may anticipate. In fact in almost every direction we get hit many times with disappointment or hardship. From relationships, work, bills, just necessities we feel we are getting kicked down. And just when we think we are above water somewhere else takes an unexpected turn. How are we to handle all these ups and downs and curves that we are getting thrown at us? What is even worse it is affecting so many people’s health. We are hearing of so many heart attack and deaths at an early age it’s truly scary. What can we do to ease the strain that is affecting our everyday lives? And is there something that is out there that can be done to really be sufficient enough to enjoy and have a healthy life? Many magazines have tips on how to live stress free, but it’s not that easy when we are going through a divorce. How can we keep calm when we can’t afford the mortgage or rent and worse off to lose your job right now is very devastating in today’s economy. There is hardly room for people working at a company let alone to hire new people they can’t afford. So there are some slim pickings when it comes to looking for a job that can help us afford to live. All these jobs are paying people minimum wage. Come on really, grown women and men making minimum wage. What are we supposed to do with chump changes? That’s a slap in our faces and doesn’t even put a dent in our wallet or bank account. Let’s get back to how to deal with this crazy life that seems to be hitting so many people. It’s like a cycle. You may be doing great at work but you are miserable with your relationship, or you may be happy with your relationship but hate your job. Things can seem like its smooth sailing but sooner or later something will hit and that is just what we call today’s way of life and sometime I hate to sound negative it can suck. I’m not going to get into simple ways that do help such as meditation. Meditation does wonders and yes it is very helpful. Yoga, bio feedback and massages do wonders for stress but how do we take steps to alleviate on the surface. We need to focus on what is making us feel stressed. It is helpful to write things that make you feel like they take life out of you, your breath away. Because that is what all these negative things are doing is taking your life away. Little by little it’s sucking your happiness and your positive energy. And most important what makes your tick is your love for life, the joy of living and not just existing. Let’s take a few minutes to go over what steps you can take to start enjoying life. First off you need to be healthy mind and body. So we all need to start eating properly. Eat foods that boost your energy and make you want to get up and do. Second we need to get our mind and body moving, put on some music and groove. It is not only good for boosting energy as well and getting your circulation moving, it’s good for you mind and heart. It also helps burn calories and we all know we have a few pounds that we can shed or tone. So get that music on and dance. Let the music be upbeat and fun enough to really get those feet moving and your mind of those problems for a bit. Next you need to take notice on what lifts your spirits and what brings them down. And when you realize what boosts you up then you need to know this is something you want to include and keep in your life. All those things that leave you weary, drained and unsure you need to alleviate them and let them go. As we go along and see how to make your life better and to bring more happiness you have to do some soul searching. What are the things in your life that are worth keeping that brings you happiness a sense of fulfillment. What are those things that make you feel down, depressed or give you anxiety. Right there it is telling you what actions you need to take. By putting it on paper you can actually see what does what. Look at this paper every time you may get unsure or confused. You may read it over and over but you will be aware and at some point you will think you had enough to break the ties with the things that are unhealthy in your life. This includes, people, relationships, jobs, even the way you’re living and the list goes on. One by one you should eliminate the things that are making you miserable until you are down to the bottom on the list. As you removed it from your life cross it off you list. The last thing is getting you healthy. The question would be how to do so? Don’t go back to the same situations with different people, different surroundings but say situation. It seems like a circle but you need to break each pattern. Once the pattern is broken and the negative things are gone you can start to rebuild but this time when you get a red flag that pops up in your head let go before you get attached. Now some of us of course can’t quit our jobs but we can do things that help relieve the stress from work. First off don’t get into gossip. As soon as you leave your job leave the thoughts of work behind you. If its work you have to take home if you can do the work first, this was you can put it behind you and on to the next. Don’t continue to live with the feeling of stress, anxiety and unhappiness. You will be heading for high blood pressure, heart problems or a stroke. Either way when you are unhappy it breaks down your immune system that can trigger many illnesses. Keep those little things that make your happiness a priority and live your life with gusto, do not allow yourself to just exist. Barbara Jeanne xo

Healthy Fats That Help You Lose More

Is counting calories the only way to guarantee a flat stomach?
What matters most for shedding belly fat boils down to calories in versus calories out. For sure, counting those suckers at every meal will help you stay consistent with a healthy eating plan, says Aragon--but it isn't necessary to lose weight. If worrying about Every. Single. Calorie. is stressing you out, put away the calculator (research shows that stress itself can cause you to stuff your face). Instead, fill your plate with whole, energy-dense foods, such as lean protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Because they pack a lot of nutrition into comparatively few calories, you're able to eat more and feel full without expanding your waistline. For an example of how to combine specific foods into belly-flattening dishes, see Good Eats for Great Abs.

Aren't protein shakes just for bodybuilders?
Don't be fooled by labels featuring ripped, bulked-up dudes. Anyone, jock or not, can benefit from the belly-flattening power of protein powder. Opt for whey protein over soy: According to a study in The Journal of Nutrition, participants whose diets included whey protein for 23 weeks had less body fat and a smaller waist than those who consumed soy protein. In fact, as strange as it sounds, dieters who included whey protein in their eating plan doubled their fat loss compared with those who ate the same number of calories but didn't drink any shakes. To reveal your abs once and for all, try including a whey protein shake once a day or at least a few times a week.

Do carbs cause tummy fat?
Despite what nearly every diet plan in the late '90s led you to believe, carbs are not your enemy. Yes, if you overeat them, you'll gain--just as with any other food. But when it comes to weight loss, your total calorie balance is what matters. If you eat more than you burn, the unused calories turn into fat that gets stored in your belly (and elsewhere), regardless of what particular foods those calories come from, says Aragon. That said, if just the sight of carb-heavy dishes melts your willpower into goo, avoiding them is the foolproof way to control your weight. More realistic, perhaps, is making sure most of your carbs are the complex kind found in whole grains and raw fruits and vegetables. Because these tend to fill you with fiber, it's easier to eat them in controlled portions than it is with highly processed refined carbs like white bread, pasta, and rice.