10 healthy holiday eating do's and dont's... for Busy Moms.

You've got presents to buy, wrap and send off, Christmas Decorations to put up, Guests to cook for and entertain. So how do you manage to do all that and eat healthily and exercise. Here are 10 tips to help you do just that.

DO:

• Do eat low-fat dairy products. Substitute low-fat dairy in all recipes that call for dairy.

• Do eat lean meats. Trim off the visible fat from all meat. Remove the skin from chicken and poultry. Bake turkey on a rack so that fat drips away.

• Do plan in advance to avoid high-fat, high calorie Holiday fare offered at office parties and family gatherings. You can fill up on healthier food such as vegetables and fruit or soup before you attend these gatherings. Or you could offer to prepare a healthier alternative for yourself and other weight watchers.

• Do keep low-fat frozen dinners, sandwich & tortilla fillings and healthy pre-cooked meals on hand for days when there's no time to cook.

• Do center holiday entertainment around non-food related activities.

Don't:

• Don't make the mistake of 'saving up' calories by going hungry before a party. This will only make you so hungry that you're sure to overeat, and be less likely to make healthier choices.

• Don't start a new diet at this time of the year. It is difficult to focus on new eating habits when you are surrounded by so many temptations.

• Don't try to loose weight. Instead focus on maintaining your weight by watching your portions and making healthier choices.

• Don't stand next to the buffet table. Put some small portions of the healthiest choices onto a plate. Then move to the opposite end of the room and start mingling with the other guests.

Do those miracle abs exercise machines really work?

You know the promises 'Great Abs Just by Training Five Minutes Per Day Three Times Per Week'

Is it really possible?

Here's what Victoria Johnson, fitness expert and author has to say:

Great Abs Just by Training Five Minutes Per Day Three Times Per Week....NOT HARDLY!

But that's what the makers of the new Ab machines would have you believe.

Do you honestly think you can get tight washboard abs training them on that fantasy workout schedule? If you believe that, I have some land I can sell you in Florida Swamps that's prime real Estate too!

With all the Hype about getting astronomical results with little to no labor, it's no wonder Ab rolling, training and coaching machines are selling by the truckloads. Poor unfit consumers are desperately looking for a quick fix for something that took years of ice cream and fudge brownies to create. You didn't gain that spare semi tire around your waist with little or no effort. Therefore, you will not lose it overnight. If not done properly, you may even injure yourself.

An important training element that is usually overlooked by many of the programs is "muscle balance". To prevent back injuries you must strengthen your lower back as well as your abdominals. Always work the front and back of your body evenly. An example would be, If you train the front of your arms, make sure you train the back. Bicep curls work the font of your arms, Tricep Press Downs work the back of your arms. This will ensure a balance in strength and development.

To help you shape up your Abs (for real) I created a balanced workout video that is only $14.95 entitled Ab Lab, the Science of Reshaping Your Midsection. I understand what it takes to get a flat midsection. I used to weigh over 170 pounds and was over 32% body fat!

I designed a program that will help you get tight Abdominals without using one piece of exercise equipment. You can do it easily and quickly right where you are. So what are you waiting for? Get on the floor.

Regardless of the body part or exercises you perform always practice muscle isolation.

Muscle Isolation - Always put your energy into the muscle you're working.

Your exercises will be even more effective.

In the next Blog post look for 2 of Victoria Johnson's favorite ab exercises.

My first experience with weights.

The first routine I did with weight-training left me sore all over. And I never dreamed that I could sweat so much without doing aerobics. The Truth About Abs Program
is certainly not sissy stuff - it's doable but challenging.
The aim of a weight training program is to actually create small tears in your muscle. Then when your body repairs it your muscle gets stronger than before. I realized that it's vital not to over-train. For someone like me who is prone to overdoing things that was tough. But I soon learned that it's counterproductive to train every day because the muscles don't have a chance to repair and rebuild. So training every consecutive day is better.

I've found that a 20 minute session 3x a week works best for me. It's short enough to fit into my schedule and often enough to give results.

Are you falling prey to the same exercise myths that kept me overweight for over 2 years?

Are you falling prey to the same exercise myths that kept me overweight for over 2 years?

For years I believed that the only way to get and stay thin was to do 30-45 minutes of cardio daily (or at least 3x a week) in order to loose weight. So I began a rigorous program of aerobics. But I lost only 4lb in over 2 years. My body wasn't getting any firmer and I certainly wasn't getting any thinner.

I really started loosing hope and feeling despondent when I stumbled upon something that changed my life forever. I realized that I was doing the wrong type of exercise. I learned that cardio can make you fatter. 'What?' I can hear you scream. Yes, it's true.

Here's what fitness expert Micheal Geary has to say:

"... You've Been Told That Doing Lots and Lots of Cardio is the Best Way to Lose Body Fat... Correct?

WRONG! Once again, the myths that have perpetuated the fitness industry for decades are starting to become more clear.

Did you know that recent properly controlled scientific studies have revealed that people using cardio-based workout routines lost significantly less body fat compared to people who did mostly resistance training based routines? Some subjects even GAINED BODY FAT on the cardio-based workouts, while the resistance trainers got stronger & simultaneously reduced their abdominal fat."

If you want to now more about loosing weight with weights (resistance Training) then go to Truth About Abs

This program isn't just about getting sexy abs, it's a complete all over body workout. And there are two programs, one for men and one for women.

I've been doing the program for almost 6 weeks now and whilst there hasn't been a dramatic reduction on the scale (only 10lb) I have lost inches. I'm one whole dress size smaller. Even my husband commented that I seem to be shrinking. I like that. Long, lean, firm and toned....that's my aim and I'm getting there one day at a time.

I still do cardio 3 x a week, but I've switched to interval training. This means that I alternate periods of moderate intensity with periods of high intensity. Anyway, I'll talk more about that in a later post.

Hi and welcome to easy weight-loss strategies for busy moms.
As a mom, I don't have the time to spend hours preparing complicated meals or doing exercises, but I still want to look and feel at my best with loads of energy to carry me through the day.

Do you feel the same way? Do you want your diet and exercise routine to fit into your schedule and lifestyle, instead of the other way around, then you've come to the right place.

Through this blog I hope to share with you quick exercises that produce maximum results in minimum time , weight-loss tips that peel of the pounds, and more. Everything that I will share with you on this blog has been designed with a two important criteria in mind: 1 - It must be quick and easy
2 - It must be safe - the "no pain, no gain" philosophy has no place here.

I also want to mix things up here. I want to add some video's , audio, slide-shows etc. to make things even more interesting and to provide you with valuable and actionable content.

I am a 32 year-old work at home mom with 4 kids (Ages, 12, 9, 6 & 2) - And my husband & I are planning to foster an 8 year old orphan starting next year. I run several internet based businesses from home and this year I have just written my Real Estate Exam. In 2008 I hope to get actively involved in the property market.

In addition to these "jobs" I have the usual tasks assigned to all mothers - cooking, household tasks, spending quality time with family and friends and so on.

For the first 30 years of my life, I've had no problems with my weight. I've been able to eat what I wanted, when I wanted and never gain an ounce of weight. My figure and wash-board tummy were the envy of all my friends. And I never exercised, ever!

But alas, that happy state of affairs didn't last forever. When I hit my thirties, I began to pile on the weight. I put on over 25lb in under 2 years. It seemed as if the wonderful metabolism that I had been blessed with had ground to a halt.

Wanting to look sexy again (along with some nasty comments from others) prompted me to take things into my own hands. For the first time in my life I started to watch what I ate and I started exercising regularly.

I found that much of what I had learned about healthy eating and exercising had been wrong. And so my self-education into the world of healthy eating and living began. But to my dismay many of the 'guru's' and experts promoted unrealistic programs - eating mainly raw foods, eliminating coffee (what!) and long and torturous cardio routines.

But I kept searching for a quicker, easier way that would fit into my busy lifestyle. I can't profess to have found the answer in one amazing diet and exercise program - more like tidbits here and there. And my needs have been constantly changing too.

So look at this blog like a buffet, try out what appeals to you and leave the rest. Enjoy!