There really are no short-cuts to losing weight, however, there are a few things you can do to boost your metabolism. Besides exercising regularly and getting plenty of sleep — which are two of the best things you can do– there are also plenty of foods that speed metabolism. Adding them to your diet may give you the extra edge to lose more weight. Think of these foods as support mechanisms on your path towards fat loss, as any diet that keeps the pounds off requires sustained effort and exercise.

Yogurt: As far as superfoods go Yogurt is a key player. It includes calcium, protein and a ton of other nutrients as well as good bacteria and probiotics for you digestive tract. Low-fat yogurt has a rich source of calcium that is weight-loss friendly. It provides about 450 mg per 8-ounce serving, as well as 12 grams of protein.

Green Tea: Studies have shown that green tea can boost metabolism as well as helping with weight loss. It has also been reported to contain anti-cancer properties, help prevent heart disease and have mood enhancing properties.

Turkey: It’s not just for Thanksgiving and Christmas anymore! Countless studies have shown that protein can help boost metabolism, lose fat and build lean muscle tissue so you burn more calories. A 3-ounce serving of boneless, skinless lean turkey breast weighs in at 120 calories and provides 26 grams protein.

Jalapenos:  These hot babies can not only speed up your metabolism, but they can boost it as well. Here’s why: There is a chemical found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers called Capsaici that temporarily stimulates your body to release more stress hormones, which speeds up your metabolism and causes you to burn more calories. All that hot salsa really does a body good.

Broccoli: Study after study links calcium with weight loss. Broccoli is high not only in calcium, but it is also loaded with vitamin C– which boosts your calcium absorption. It also has plenty of vitamin A, folate and fiber. This superfood not only fights fat but also contains powerful phytochemicals that boost your immunity and protect against disease. And, the best news? It has just 20 calories per cup.

Metabolism is how your body converts calories you consume into energy. People often believe that a slim person’s metabolism is high and an overweight person’s metabolism is low, but this usually is not the case. Metabolism alone does not determine your weight. Rather, weight is dependent on the balance of calories consumed versus the calories burned. If you eat more calories than you need — you will gain weight. If you eat fewer calories than you need — you will lose weight. Metabolism is merely your body’s engine that burns calories and regulates your caloric needs.

Check back on Wednesday when we will share with you more foods that you can eat that will help boost your metabolism.

Earlier this week we talked about eating habits that can help you to have a dramatic weight loss. Now we are going to talk about the simple things you can do to move the weight loss forward.

1. Health App – Whether it be for your phone or on your computer, you really do need some sort of tracking system. This will help you to keep track of the food you eat and the exercise that you do. There are numerous ones out there that can track this information for you, helping you see how many calories you burned and consumed. This information is critical in the weight loss process.

There are also Apps available that will track the distance that you run, walk or bike and calculate not only the mileage but the amount of calories that you burned. This is motivation at its best and helps you realize that when you walk from the back of the parking lot to the grocery store entrance, you are burning calories.

2. Elevated Heartbeat for a min of 30 – 45 minutes daily. This means that if you hate running, not to worry. You just have to make sure that you are walking briskly enough to elevate your heartbeat for 30 minutes. You should be able to talk with your walking partner, but it should labored. This means you are working your body, and burning calories.

3. Rest. Make sure you rest your body adequately between each exercise session, so you don’t damage your muscles. Make sure that you consider protein supplements. This will help your body rebuild the necessary muscles and cells that we use when we exercise and really, just function day to day. If you are tired after you exercise you need to provide your body with the essential proteins necessary to rebuild, rejuvenate and restore your muscles.

4. You don’t have to go to the gym to exercise. There are a lot of different exercises that you can do, at home, that don’t require a gym membership. Squats, lunges, sit-ups and push-ups to name just a few. Adding these exercises to your daily routine will increase your endurance.

5. Ask for Help – Get a workout buddy or someone to help keep you accountable. There is something to be said for knowing someone is outside or at the gym waiting for you to keep you motivated and working out.

If you follow these five easy steps, you will see a gradual weight loss. The toughest part of losing weight is that it doesn’t just slide off like a bad outfit. You have to work it off and that work is hard. Just remember: Nothing tastes as good as being skinny feels.

What are some of your tried and true tips for easy to do exercise?

Over the past eighteen months I have lost 62 pounds. That’s the equivalent of two small children! I have been asked a variation of the same three questions when they realize how much weight I have actually shed:

1) What did you do?
2) Did you starve?
3) Did you quit eating out?

What I did, quite truthfully, is very simple and everyone could, and frankly should, do the same thing. Most people look at me like I’m crazy, but I’m living proof that this works.

1. I quit eating fast food, processed foods and pre-packaged foods– which are incredibly high in saturated fats. Simply removing the bad fats found in that type of food will help drastically with your weight-loss desires.

2.  I concentrated on eating the good fats . These are the fats that are found in lean cuts of meat, fish and nuts. I  eat my vegetables and proteins first and save the rolls, and bread (carbs) for the end of the meal. By filling up on the Vegetables and Proteins first your overall calorie intake will be lower because you will feel full and avoid overeating–which typically occurs when you fill up on the rolls or bread first.

3. I tracked what I ate. Now, before you roll your eyes at me and tell me you don’t have time to do that, let me explain the method of my madness. I downloaded a fitness training app to my smart phone and during the set-up process honestly listed my weight (198 lbs) and my current exercise level (none). I was honest with the app — I had nothing to lose except the weight and I was sick of being fat. At the end of the day I would input all the food that I ate that day and what types of exercise I did — and it would list out the calories that I consumed and burned. If I ate more than I burned, then I was in the red zone.

Quite honestly, it only took about three days of me seeing that my Biggie Sized Extra Value Meal was TWO DAYS worth of calories in one meal. Finally I could see how my food choices were negatively affecting my weight.

4. I still eat out – I just make healthier choices. If I can, I try to decide before I get to the restaurant what I’m going to eat. I will look at the menu and find the healthiest choice that the restaurant offers. This helps me not to be tempted when I get to the restaurant to make poor choices because the food smells so good. I have now know exactly what healthy choices I can make at a drop of a hat at various local restaurants, and I don’t have to spend time mulling over the menu– at home or at the restaurant.

5. I eat a salad every day. This is a simple way to make sure you are getting the daily required vegetable/fruit intake necessary for healthy living. It’s also a healthy choice when eating out, especially when it’s not possible to check the menu of an eating establishment prior to your meal. If you frequently eat green salads, you’ll likely have higher blood levels of a host of powerful antioxidants and its an easy way to lower your cholesterol.

Check back on Wednesday when we’ll go over simple steps to exercise and burn calories. In the meantime, tell us what some of your favorite healthy eating tips are in comment section below.

It’s that time of year when everyone starts sharing the one thing you wish they’d keep to themselves: Germs. Here are some quick and easy tips to help you stay healthy this winter.

1. Wash your Hands and use hand sanitizer. Bacteria and viruses find their way into our bodies via all of the various things we touch. From the grocery store shopping carts to the door handle coming out of the public restrooms, bacteria and viruses are lurking and waiting for us to touch. Use a paper towel to turn off the water in the restrooms and open the doors; Use disinfectant wipes to wipe down your shopping cart at the store; Once a day wipe down your phones and computer keyboards at work and carry hand sanitizer in your car (or keep it at your desk) so you can use it once you get back into “the safe zone”. Consistently washing your hands and using hand sanitizer will help keep you healthy.

2. Don’t Touch Your Face. The average person touches their face three to five times a MINUTE which translates into 180-300 times an hour. Think about all the places you go and all the various things you touch that have been touched by other people. Yeah, gross. Conscientiously think about not touching your face to minimize the germs you spread.

3. Herbs. Contrary to popular belief they are not just for cooking any more. Gargling with Sage will soothe a soar throat and guards against infections; Elderberry Extract will decrease the length of the cold and soften the symptoms; Gargle with Salt water. It soothes the soar throat and loosens nasty mucus in the throat; Drinking hot ginger tea is a great method for preventing the flu; Garlic pills will ward off illness. And vampires. So, double whammy.

4. Eat Healthy Well-balanced Meals and Snacks. When we are healthy eaters, our bodies retrain the nutrients necessary to fight off the illnesses. Try snacking on Brazil Nuts. They are heavy in protein, which is good for the body, but they are also high in selenium, which increases production of proteins called cytokines that are important for the immune system. Have a 1 oz serving a few times per week.

5. Good Nights Sleep. Sleep is the first thing that we sacrifice to get our huge to-do lists done. And, that is one of the major contributing factors of illness. A tired body cannot fight the bacteria and viruses that plague the places we go. The average adult needs between seven and nine hours of sleep a night and yet most adults are getting less than six. No wonder so many people are sick. Put the to-do lists away and allow yourself the rest you need. Especially once you are sick. Rest is the best way for your body to heal itself.

6. Drink lots of Water. Water makes up over half of your body weight. Every single part of your body needs water to be able to function correctly. Most healthy people can stay well hydrated by drinking water and other fluids whenever they feel thirsty. For some people, fewer than 8 glasses may be enough. Other people may need more than 8 glasses each day.

7. Regular Exercise a few times a week can help decrease stress which increases a persons chance of getting sick. It also strengthens the body’s ability to fight germs.  Yoga is a great way to not only strengthen, stretch and tone your muscles but Yoga also boosts your immune system.  My yoga instructor suggested practicing the Lion pose a few times a day when you feel a cold coming on because it brings fresh blood to your throat and scares away germs. Win win.

How do YOU keep your family healthy?

Halloween is just around the corner and that can only mean one thing: Free candy from strangers. One day a year we send our children out into the lone and dreary cold to knock on peoples doors and beg for candy. Truthfully, I have to tell you that it is quite literally my all time favorite holiday. The costumes, the festive atmosphere and playing with friends brings out my inner ten-year old. I love Halloween and Trick-or-Treating.

However, my forty year old body does not love this time of year. I start battling those unwanted pounds staring me in the face in the form of a luscious Snickers bar, and those snicker bars? I swear they are calling my name, mocking me, daring me to eat just one. They know I can’t eat just one.

Stupid candy.

This year however, I have vowed to have a healthier Halloween by following these 5 easy Steps:

1. Buy Halloween Candy the day before Halloween. This keeps you from snacking the entire month and keeps your candy bill down as well. It’s super tempting to stock up on candy on September 30 for Halloween, but only one thing happens when you do that— You eat it and then buy more.

2. Buy the “yucky” Halloween Candy. You know the kind I’m talking about, right? The tooth breakers, no flavor chocolate and bit-o-honey’s (no offense if you like that stuff). Buy the candy that you know you won’t eat–even if it was the last candy to be found on earth.

3. Before Trick-or-Treating, serve your family a healthy, hot meal. This eliminates (or at least reduces) the snacking-from-the-bag-along-the-route temptation for you AND for them.  Need ideas?  There’s a delicious recipe below.  You’re welcome.

4. Allow everyone a free-for-all AT THE KITCHEN TABLE without other distractions– like the television. This allows everyone to eat their candy but prevents the mindless eating that occurs when we watch TV. You can eat as much as you like– at the table.

5. Set a Date for the candy to be gone and then take the leftovers to your work, the local Homeless Shelter or Women’s Shelter. Share the candy wealth, so to speak. Just because you have buckets a free candy does not mean you should actually EAT all of said candy.

Follow those simple instructions and you are (almost) guaranteed a Healthy Halloween!

Pendernalli’s River Boat Chili
1tsp vegetable oil
1tsp minced garlic
1 medium onion, chopped (about ½ Cup)
2 lbs ground beef
3Tbsp Chili Powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp salt
2 cans of 16 oz diced tomatoes, do not drain
2 cans beans – do not drain

Cook beef with the onion, garlic and oil. Add to crock pot and cook on low for 3-4 hours.