Month: February 2011

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Set a "Smart" Goal for March

For those of you who set a goal for February now is the time to see if you have reached it.  If you were unable to reach your goal it’s not the end of the world.  Assess the problems that may have gotten in the way and make some adjustments to your goal for March.  If you did reach your February goal congratulations!  Keep up the hard work and things will continue to pay off.  Reward yourself with something that’s not counterproductive and set a goal for March using the guidelines above.
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Have Fruit for Dessert….

…and I don’t mean fruit pie.  Having a sweet tooth can be a big drawback if you’re trying to eat healthy.  Consider swapping out your cake and cookies for a fruit dessert tonight.  Be creative.  While it could just be a fresh fruit salad, it could also be low fat ice cream or yogurt with fresh fruit over top of it.  Make it a healthier alternative that you can enjoy and you might find yourself sticking with it a few nights a week.
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Plan Ahead If You’re Eating Out

If you have plans to go out to eat consider looking up the restaurant menu online beforehand.  This is a good way to find the nutrition facts and calories of your potential meals.  Once you get to the restaurant don’t even look at the menu.  Stick with your smart choice and have an extra drink if you can afford the calories….IT’S THE WEEKEND!
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Jump Rope for 5 Minutes

Take five minutes out of your day to get some at home cardio in.  If you’ve got a jump rope at home, today is the day you are going to use it.  Whether it’s five sets of one minute intervals on the rope, or a long five minutes of jumping, take the time to complete this task.  Jumping rope is one of the best cardio workouts a person can get.  It will help you get closer to your weight loss goals and aspirations of toning up.
If your rope jumping skills are comparable to the last child’s in the video above, consider jumping back and forth over a line or doing jumping jacks rather than using an actual rope.  I don’t want any law suits.  ðŸ˜‰  GOOD LUCK!!    
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Lunge Around the House

Pick one room in your house that you will lunge to rather than walk to all day today.  Perform walking lunges every time you enter that room.  If you are unable to do lunges, consider doing a lateral kick and a squat bringing your feet together between each while moving closer to your destination.  Another option would be a walking hip abduction with a resistance band.  Whatever it is, get a mini leg and cardio workout in at home throughout the day or evening.  
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Do 50 Pushups

Find the time to do 50 pushups today.  You can break them up into two sets of 25 or five sets of 10.  Try some with wide hands, some with your hands directly underneath your shoulders, and some with your hands close together.  If you’re not strong enough to do pushups on your toes then do them from your knees.  If that’s a struggle, do as many as you can on the floor and then finish up with your hands on the edge of a table, the arm of a couch, or against the wall.  Work on increasing the number of pushups you can do in a row.  You’ll be surprised how quickly you can improve!
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Plan Your Meals for Tomorrow

Take the time to plan tomorrow’s meals tonight.  It won’t take more than a few minutes and you’re less likely to eat out if you have a plan.  Use planning to your advantage and take a day off from the fast food.  
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Buy a New Piece of Fitness Equipment

Head out to your local sporting goods store and buy a small piece of fitness equipment today.  Consider a resistance band, stability ball, yoga mat, kettlebell, or set of dumbbells.  After you buy it, make a commitment to using it at least twice a week.  Don’t put it anywhere near the closet that’s holding your ThighMaster and Tae Bo tapes.  Put it somewhere where it can be seen and easily picked up.  Remember that buying the equipment is only half the battle.  You have to use it to reap the benefits!