Shape Up Tip #11: Make it Work! by Guest Author Kimberly Novosel

Small healthy changes repeated over and over again are what will change our bodies in time for summer weather.

Make it Work! As in, treat your workout like an important meeting or appointment. I plan my exercise for 3 days to a week ahead and write them in my planner beforehand, including time and activity. It helps that most of my workouts are classes so they are actually scheduled. I’m not much for working out at home. I work at home, so my workouts are one of the few things that get me out of the house. If you work out at home, adopt the same attitude. It’s a priority. – KN

Treat your workout like an appointment like you can’t miss. You wouldn’t miss a hair color appointment, right?

Kimberly Novosel is a self-development expert and author who lives in NYC. To get more motivational tips from Kimberly, follow her on twitter @kimberlynovosel.

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Shape Up Tip #10: Squash Your Pasta Cravings

Small healthy changes repeated over and over again are what will change our bodies in time for summer weather.

My fiancee wanted pasta tonight so I whipped up a quick, easy dinner featuring pasta for him and spaghetti squash for myself. Spaghetti squash, when made correctly, is a healthy alternative to pasta. All things in moderation, but pasta, even the whole wheat or rice based varieties, are not going to help you loose weight. Tip #10: Substitute Spaghetti Squash for any pasta while getting in summer shape. 

I have substituted spaghetti squash in place of pasta for years. At first you will be like, “What the heck, this doesn’t taste like noodles at all! Give me back my sugar rush from the simple carbs!” Well, I promise that over time you will like it and feel good eating it because it’s so clean and light. If you’ve never prepared it before the first step is choosing the right one at the store. Choose squash that are firm and heavy for their size. A tender rind indicates immaturity, which won’t yield the awesome “spaghetti strings” when cooked.

To cook, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds with a fork and lay face down in a baking pan. Fill the pan with with 1/2 cup of water. Bake for 30 minutes. Now, when I bake my squash, the rinds will be slightly brown and crisp on the outside. Do not over-bake or it will be watery and you will never develop a fondness for this gourd.

Once they are out of the oven, flip the halves over and use a fork to scoop out the “spaghetti noodles.” Sometimes I just leave the noodles in the squash so it’s my own personal bowl.

You can serve with pasta sauce (a low sugar version, of course) or with any vegetables. I like to serve mine by mixing in spinach (I just use the chopped frozen kind), Trader Joe’s fat free organic Feta crumbles, a spritz of olive oil from my Misto spritzer, sea salt and cracked pepper.

Here is a picture of our dinner tonight. Spaghetti squash with spinach, olive oil and feta on my plate. Both spaghetti squash and pasta on Geoff’s plate.

Tonight Geoff had both pasta and spaghetti squash (from the recipe above) on his plate. He said that the squash was actually better than the farfalle pasta. True story. – CC

To get these Summer Shape Up tips delivered to your inbox, RSS this blog or sign up for my emails at http://www.chelseacharles.com  . – CC

Shape Up Tip #9: Make A Slimming Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie.

Small healthy changes repeated over and over again are what will change our bodies in time for summer weather.

What goes better together than chocolate and peanut butter? The perfect combination of salt, sugar and fat heaven. But when getting in shape for summer, chocolate and peanut butter trysts are off limits, right? Nope! Here is a slimming chocolate peanut butter smoothie that tastes sinful but is actually good for you. The almond milk adds calcium, the peanut butter adds good protein, flax meal adds fiber and the cocoa powder kicks up the antioxidants.

This smoothie only tastes sinful. It’s actually quite angelic at 6 grams of sugar and 145 calories.

Have one for breakfast, as a snack or when a chocolate craving hits. It is much lower in calories and fat than you would expect because I use PB2 powdered peanut butter (the peanuts are slow-roasted then pressed to remove 85% of the fat and oil). The only ingredients in PB2 are roasted peanuts, 1 gram of sugar and salt.

1 cup Almond Breeze UNSWEETENED chocolate almond milk

2 Tbs PB2

2 tsp cocoa powder

2 Tbs Trader Joes Organic House Whip

1 Tbs Bob’s Red Mill Golden Flaxseed Meal (I’m not a fan if it’s not the Golden kind)

3 Ice Cubes

Liquid Stevia (to taste)

Combine ingredients and then blend until smooth.

Calories: 145, Total Fat: 6 g, Carbs: 11 g, Sugar: 6 g Fiber: 6 g Protein: 8 g

If you decide to give my chocolate peanut butter slimming smoothie a try I would love to hear how you liked it. To get these Summer Shape Up tips delivered to your inbox, RSS this blog or sign up for my emails at http://www.chelseacharles.com  . – CC

 

 

Summer Shape Up Tip #8: Go the Extra Mile

Small healthy changes repeated over and over again are what will change our bodies in time for summer weather.

As the temperatures get warmer, it’s always nice to go outside for your workout. I like to do a morning workout on the treadmill, along with some interval training and/or my pilates reformer (I work full-time so I get up at 6:15 am) and then log an extra mile in the early evening walking with my son in his stroller. The walk helps clear my head and wind down from the day. It is a way for us to spend quality time together and it fends off the munchies that I’m so prone to during this time.

So tip #8 is to add an extra mile walking at night in addition to your morning workout. Walking alone won’t reshape the body, but doing this 5-6 times a week can really help you bank extra calories. Weekly walks are a great thing to log on your Count Me Healthy bracelet too! – CC

Use your Rose Gold Galaxy Tri-Color Bracelet to Count your extra miles walked. Aim for 1 extra mile a day (total of 5-6).

Summer Shape Up Tip #7: Comparison is the Thief of Weight Loss

Each of the blog posts in this Shape Up Series begin with the same mantra: Small healthy changes repeated over and over again are what will change our bodies in time for summer weather.

So my favorite quote of all time, “Comparison is the Thief of Joy” comes from Theodore Roosevelt. I have it as one of my Pinterest board covers and I post it on our Count Me Healthy Facebook page at least once every six months. It resonates with me because we as women are ALWAYS comparing ourselves to not only our peers, but women in magazines who have been Photoshopped to the hilt. This steals personal joy and also stalls motivation to continue with your fitness routine and healthy lifestyle. Negative thoughts like, “I could never get as thin or tiny as (insert model or actress name here), what’s the point?” So the tip to take away from this is that whenever you find your mind wandering toward comparison mode, center your thoughts and remember that the only person you should be competing with is yourself—to be better than you were the day before. – CC

Tip 7# Just focus on being a better you.

If you would like to get these tips delivered to your inbox, RSS this blog, sign up for my emails at http://www.chelseacharles.com  or follow me on Instagram @cc_Jewelry. – CC

 

Summer Shape Up Tip #6: A Step Beyond “Dressing on the Side”

Each of the blog posts in this Shape Up Series begin with the same mantra: Small healthy changes repeated over and over again are what will change our bodies in time for summer weather.

The slimming tip “I’ll take my dressing on the side” is one everybody has heard before. I want to take it a step further. Although we get our dressing on the side, it can end up being a diet mistake because we then dip each forkful, covering the entire bite with dressing. Or we take grilled chicken strips from the salad and dip the whole strip into the dressing (I am so guilty of doing this). A great way to enjoy a hint of the dressing with each bite, rather than a saturated taste, is to dip your fork into the dressing and then grab the salad with your fork. You are making the healthy choice to get the salad, don’t sabotage your efforts.

Dipping “fork first” will save a bunch of hard earned calories.

If you would like to get these tips delivered to your inbox, RSS this blog or sign up for my emails at http://www.chelseacharles.com. – CC

 

 

 

 

 

 

90 Days of Summer Shape Up Tips: #5 Sub Veggies for Cheese.

Each of the blog posts in this Shape Up Series begin with the same mantra: Small healthy changes repeated over and over again are what will change our bodies in time for summer weather.

Eggs are one of the best things to eat when trying to get slim. They are packed with protein, low in carbs and filling. I usually use egg whites and then add a yolk for flavor and a dose of good fat. I eat them often, not just for breakfast, but also as a no-fuss, healthy dinner option.  But the healthy properties go out the window when the cheese is dumped in. Growing up, was cheese always an accoutrement to your scrambled eggs or omelet? Have you ever been out to a breakfast joint and seen an omelet offered without some sort of cheese? Never! Plus, you have no control over how much cheese goes into your restaurant omelet. It often adds hundreds of calories. Whether dining out or making a cozy breakfast for the family, nix the cheese for veggies.

Don’t like washing and cutting the spinach, peppers or onions? USE FROZEN! This is such a time saver. I hate prep. Yep, you can dump frozen vegetables right into the pan with the eggs and by the time the eggs are done, your veggies will be heated through. My favorite frozen veggies to use are chopped spinach and a fajita pepper and onion medley (Trader Joe’s has a fire roasted option that is super delicious). Add a spray or two of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I love my Misto Oil sprayer) some sea salt, pepper, and salsa on the side.

Also, all you moms, it is a great way to add extra veggies to your child’s daily menu. I incorporate veggies into any eggs I make for my son and he loves it. – CC

Bright colored veggies make a great substitute for cheese and can save hundreds of calories.

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90 Days of Summer Shape Up Tips: #4 Embrace Being BAAD

I’ve decided to start each of the blog posts in this Shape Up Series with the same mantra: Small healthy changes repeated over and over again are what is going to change our bodies in time for summer weather.

Tip #4 deals with a small change you can implement when you are dining out. Going out to dinner is a time to celebrate wonderful food along with great company. However, this combination usually leads to overeating. If going out to dinner for a special occasion I don’t recommend going Spartan, but if you want to get beach body ready, you will need to scale back and just choose one of the four BAADS. BAADS are: Bread, Alcohol, Appetizer, Dessert. Have the one BAAD you love the most and leave the rest. And, whatever BAAD you choose, you need to keep it to ONE: One piece of bread, One glass of wine, One small plate of appetizer (being SHARED with the table) or One sliver of dessert (again being shared).

When at a restaurant, my BAAD is usually red wine. Use your Count Me Healthy bracelet to count your weekly BAADs if you dine out often. It is a beautiful way to help keep you mindful.

If you would like to get these tips delivered to your inbox, RSS this blog or sign up for my emails at http://www.chelseacharles.com.

90 Days of Summer Shape Up Tips: #3 Kick the Ketchup

I’ve decided to start each of the blog posts in this Shape Up Series with the same mantra: Small healthy changes repeated over and over again are what is going to change our bodies in time for summer weather. Repetition, repetition, repetition.

Our next tiny change is to stop using ketchup. Just because it is partially made from tomatoes does not make it healthy! Yes, you may get a irrelevant amount of lycopene when you use it, but you will also be getting a high dose of sugar. Sugar is the devil when it comes to weight loss. Also, did you notice that people put ketchup mostly on fatty and salty foods (no one ever puts is on veggies)? This is because when the addictive triangle of fat, salt, and sugar come together, our brains are hard-wired to crave more. This is why fast food is so addictive. So, dare I say that ketchup is a gateway to making bad food choices. Also, if you give up ketchup, maybe you won’t really want to order the fries or have the burger because it “just doesn’t taste the same” without the sugary sweet from the red Heinz bottle.

Ketchup my not seem that bad for the waistline but it really is. Opt for lower sugar choices.

Speaking of Heinz, they do make a low sugar version, but it is filled with artificial sweeteners and is a poor substitute. Just give it up altogether. – CC

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90 Days of Summer Shape Up Tips: #2 Up the Incline by 1%

So small healthy changes repeated over and over again are what is going to change our bodies in time for summer weather. Yesterday’s tip was to increase your cardio by five minutes during every workout session leading up to summer.  Today’s tip, another tiny tweak that offers great results, is to up your incline on whatever cardio machine you use. Or, if you are outside, opt for a hillier terrain instead of the flat pavement. Upping the incline by 1-1.5% will challenge you, up your heart rate and increase your calorie burn. As always, consult a physician before changing your workout routine. – CC

Challenge yourself by upping the incline on your treadmill or other cardio equipment.

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