Posted by Natalie Deangelo on Fri, Aug 06, 2010 @ 07:36 PM
Happy Friday, fighters! I hope everyone is having a great week! I came across the below article from Fitness Magazine, and I had to share. So many times, I hear my clients say things like "Maybe I'm gaining weight because I eat after 9" or "I think my metabolism is too slow to lose weight." Before you continue making those assumptions (or "excuses" as I like to call them), take this little quiz. Below are the 7 Deadly Diet Sins that could be halting your weight loss. If you find even ONE of these "sins" a regular occurance in your life, try putting it to rest this week. The reward will be heavenly when you do!
1. Bad breakfast. It’s old news that skipping breakfast is bad for your metabolism. But eating an unhealthy breakfast is nearly just as bad. A sugary doughnut or a fatty muffin sets the nutritional tone for your day. Instead, get a more filling breakfast with plenty of protein and healthy carbs.
2. Eating too little during the day–and overeating at night. If you deprive yourself of too many calories during the day, not only will you be cranky at night, you’ll also be more likely to overeat. Instead, eat several small meals throughout the day.
3. Using big plates. So many of the dishes we have in our homes do not represent appropriate portions, from giant mugs and wine glasses to dinner plates. Try measuring food out first or buy smaller plates and bowls. Studies have shown that people who use bigger plates are more likely to overeat.
4. Weekend splurges. It’s okay to treat yourself once in awhile, in fact it can help you stay on track in the long run, but that treat shouldn’t last from Friday afternoon to Sunday night.
5. Eating in front of the TV. Marketers spend millions of dollars researching what images will make your mouth water, so it’s no wonder that it’s easy to overindulge while watching your favorite show. Plus, if your attention is elsewhere, you’re less likely to pay attention to portion size.
6. Eating on the run. When you sit down to a enjoy a meal, you’re more likely to pay attention to the signals your body is sending and finish feeling satisfied. If you eat while you drive, you’re more likely to feel hungry every time you get behind the wheel.
7. Starting a diet by eating too little. Even if you have big weight-loss goals, don’t begin your diet with too aggressive a calorie cut. Not only will it slow your metabolism, it will make you more likely to feel deprived at quit the diet. It’s also healthier to loose weight slowly over time.
-Fitness Magazine
This week, I am going to work on eating my meals at the table, not in front of the TV. What are you going to work on?
Posted by Alicia Leeds on Fri, Jul 23, 2010 @ 04:47 PM
Happy Friday Fighters! I hope you had a great week!
This week, Full Life stumbled up this amazing little chart depicting exactly how much the average American eats in a year. Wow! The average American consumes 85lbs of Fat each year. And, check out the bottom of the chart: 24lbs of icecream? 23lbs of pizza! It really makes you think about how these little things add up and why the average American gains about 2lbs a year(American Chronicle). Not to mention, if the average American is eating 2700 calories a day, not even an intense workout of 600 calories burned is enough to make that a healthy day. My only question is, I wonder how other countries add up?
How does your diet compare to this chart? What are your thoughts?
Posted by Natalie Deangelo on Fri, Apr 23, 2010 @ 09:07 AM
Happy Friday, fighters! I hope everyone has had an amazing week. As many of you know, I ran the Boston Marathon on Monday, so I spent most of the week recovering! Wow, do I love the Boston Marathon. Whether you run it or simply watch it, it is truly a moving experience. That's why today, I decided to give you a bit of inspiration in the Friday Fight.
For anyone looking for inspiration to exercise, go out and watch a local race. There are so many people of different shapes, sizes, ages, and bodies. And they're all running for a reason - maybe they're running in memory of a family member or friend...maybe they're running to relieve stress. Maybe they're running because they don't know what it would be like not to. You don't have to be an advandced runner to appreciate a good race. Because the beauty of running is that you can go at your own pace and find inspiration from anyone, at any level. One of my favorite shirts I saw during the race was one that read "There is a stronger you inside."
With that in mind, I have to share the "Why I Run" section on Boston.com. This is a forum where ANYONE can post their stories and favorite reasons to run. It truly brought tears to my eyes. Here's just one of the posts:
"Running is my unicorn pursuit. Doing it makes me feel I can accomplish the impossible. It satisfies my yearning for adventure, my insatiable sense of inquiry, and my desire to experience the world in ways inimitable. Running gives me epiphanic moments of clarity otherwise unreachable, and it makes me a fantastic wife, daughter, sister, and friend. Running will alleviate the world's ills, and, in the process, make all of us better, stronger, fitter, faster people. There's nothing quite like it."
Want more inspiration? Check out more stories here: http://www.boston.com/newsprojects/whyirun/#/story-214
What inspires you?
Posted by Natalie Deangelo on Fri, Jan 29, 2010 @ 10:26 AM
They say everything's bigger, brighter and bolder in Vegas. Maybe that's why Vegas ranks as one of the Top 50
UNhealthiest cities in the country. Check out this Turkey Brisket Sammich, submitted by a Full Life fighter himself while in Vegas. How does one even eat this? Anyone want to make a bet on the calorie count?
As a reminder fighters, I don't post these outrageous meals to tempt or frustrate you. I post them to congratulate you for living a HEALTHIER lifestyle..to acknowledge that this is the kind of culture and behavior you fight against every day. So go ahead, applaud yourself for choosing your health over the norm. Remember, being healthy isn't about good luck (especially not here in Vegas!) or good genes...it's about making good choices and being good to your body! Now that's something I'm willing to bet on.
Posted by Natalie Deangelo on Fri, Oct 02, 2009 @ 11:07 AM
What is the Friday Fight? With so many people struggling with their weight in this country, it is clearer than ever that there is a major Gap between our environment and healthy behaviors. At Full Life, we want to congratulate you for fighting this Gap every single day, for choosing fruits and vegetables, whole grains, or meal replacements instead of fast food or for going for a walk instead of staying at your desk! So with the Gap in mind, every Friday, I'll be ransacking Alicia's blog to bring you the Friday Fight - examples of the nation's most outrageous high fat, high calorie foods - to keep you on your toes and help you win the battle against the Gap! We know you're poised for the challenge!
This Friday's Fight? Just when you thought America couldn't get any worse than the creation of deep fried Twinkies...the Lone Star state brings us (drum roll pleeeeeassse)... Deep Fried BUTTER!
Served at the Texas State Fair, this heart attack waiting to happen weighs in at 810 calories, and that's BEFORE they add the crispy coating and deep frying. So I'm guessing atleast 1500 per bite. Pure fat, fried in fat. Sounds like a recipe for obesity.
And the kicker?? An article about this and other fair dish cites a dieticion who says "All foods contain some nutrition, even the deep fried butter dish..." I'm sorry, but deep fried butter is not OK and and never will be OK for your diet. The longer our country keeps telling ourselves that this kind of food is ok, the longer we'll keep fooling ourselves into a long term health crisis. Will the FDA ever step in here? Anyone? Bueller?...
And that's your Friday Fight. Have a great weekend and remember, nothing tastes sweeter than healthy diet success!
Do you have an example for the Friday Fight? Send it our way! Email Natalie at FullLifeCoach@gmail.com