5 Reasons Why You Should Start Juicing!

Creating fresh juice as part of a well-proportioned, plant-based diet is a significant step towards achieving and sustaining good health. It is also a way to get digestive enzymes usually isolated in the fiber matrix of whole vegetables and fruits.

The majority of commercially available juices are processed and are typically deficient in nutrition, as opposed to freshly juiced vegetables and fruits which are packed with a wealth of minerals, phytonutrients and vitamins. Consuming fresh juice can likewise aid us at adopting a healthier eating pattern. For the non-fruit and vegetable eater, including fresh juice can be an effortless way to raise consumption of these vital plant foods for better health and wellness, not to mention achieving weight loss objectives.

Furthermore, juicing can inject some variability to your diet, as you acquire the necessary nutrients from different fruits and vegetables. You can juice at home using a juicer, or go to a juice bar, or even buy freshly squeezed juices at the grocery. Juicing normally needs a machine in order to crush raw fruits and vegetables into a liquid.

Juicing Boosts Absorption of Nutrients

Juicing increases your absorption of the nutrient content found in vegetables and fruits. This is vital since most of us have compromised digestion due to poor food choices over the years. This restricts our body’s capacity to efficiently absorb as much as it can from the vegetables and fruits. Juicing “pre-digests” them for you, so you are less likely to have an upset stomach from the influx of nutrients.

Juicing Increases Fruit and Vegetable Intake

As mentioned earlier, juicing allows you to ingest more fruits and vegetables without the bulk. Almost all health advocates recommend that we consume up to eight servings of fruits and vegetables every day, but very few of us actually do. Juicing is an excellent strategy to effectively assure that one will get the daily recommended target for vegetables and fruits.

Juicing Promotes a Variety of Vegetable and Fruits

One can add a broader mix of vegetables and fruits in a diet thru juicing. Unfortunately most individuals eat the same vegetable and fruits every day. This goes against the rule of regular food rotation and even raises the odds of developing an allergy towards some food. It likewise limits the quantity of diverse phytochemicals in your diet, as each fruit and/or vegetable will offer distinctive benefits.

Juicing Aids Weight Loss

Research has shown that adults who consumed at least 8 ounces of vegetable juice lost up to 4 pounds over a period of 3 months. This is compared to losing just 1 pound in the group that followed the same diet plan but did not incorporate juicing methods. The vegetable and fruit juice drinkers likewise considerably raised their consumption of vitamin C and potassium, while lessening their total carbohydrate intake.

Juicing Boosts Your Immune System and Energy Levels

Enhance your immune system by amplifying it with concentrated amounts of phytochemicals. Raw juice also has the potential revitalize your body, which makes it vital for those aged 40 and over. You can raise your energy levels naturally by consuming an abundance of nutrients and the optimal pH balance, both of which can be achieved by juicing a combination of fruits and vegetables.

Don’t have a Juicer, great deals at amazon. Get yours today and start Juicing!


Over 40 Weight Management Techniques That Work

imagesCAJXTBVKMost of us who have lost weight have had trouble keeping it off. It’s not that we don’t have good intentions; we just lack the knowledge of weight management techniques and motivation that will stand the test of time.

A recent survey conducted by the University Of North Carolina Of Chapel Hill (in conjunction with Self magazine) concluded that:
• Almost half of women snack even when not hungry
• Over one third of women are preoccupied with the desire to lose weight to the point where this issue interferes with their overall happiness
• Three quarters of women have unhealthy thoughts or behaviors linked to food and dieting

It’s obvious that many of us want to lose weight, or once we lose weight, keep the weight off. The problem is most of us can’t follow through to make those desires reality. Once we hit a goal weight, we slack off on our efforts and the weight comes right back on.

The following are weight management tips that will help you lose weight (and keep it off after you reach your goal weight):

Figure Out Exactly Why You Want to Weigh a Specific WeightTake stock of the reasons behind your desire to keep the scale at that particular number. Write down every reason that comes to mind, even reasons that might be embarrassing or seem insignificant. Then identify which reasons really matter to you.

Write out what will happen if you don’t keep your weight under control. Identify health conditions, social implications and self image issues. Look up statistics on how weight problems affect longevity and other health issues. Think about your goals for your life and how your weight could affect those goals.

Set Specific Goals
Decide how much weight you need to lose to meet your goals. Set a “must lose” goal and a “would like to lose” goal. Then break each of these goals down into smaller goals. Find a way to document all this so you can keep yourself focused and accountable.

Educate Yourself on Healthy Weight Loss and Management Programs
Most of us lose our weight loss motivation because we try to do too much too quickly. We go on a radical diet and starve ourselves for three days, then binge on the fourth and give up on the fifth. Or we run out to the gym and do two super hard classes and end up so sore we can’t work out for three days. I have weight loss program on this site, a good place to start.

If you lost weight by using extreme techniques, you are probably at the point where you feel exhausted. You’re tired of thinking about losing weight. You’re proud of your self control, but realize you’re at the breaking point. You know you are likely to start compromising and will see the weight returning. You’re worried about this possibility, and yet you know your weight loss efforts might not be sustainable.

To avoid giving up on the way to your goal weight or relapsing after you hit your goal, you need to get proactive. Take change of your weight management efforts now, while you are experiencing victory.

Learn what types of weight loss efforts really work for women (link to weight loss programs article) and take a gradual, slow-and-steady-wins-the-race approach. Don’t try anything extreme; instead set yourself up for long term success.

Focus on the Things You Can Control
You can’t control how much weight you lose each week, but you can control how much you eat, what you eat, and how much you exercise. Keep track of these three factors through an online tool or in a journal, or find an accountability partner who will help you stick to your plans. Use an online tool to determine exactly what you need to do calorie-wise to maintain your weight or to lose those last few pounds. Make specific goals, write out meal plans and find a way to keep yourself accountable for sticking with the daily plan.

Set Yourself Up For Success
While we’d love to keep our weight loss efforts private, most of us need support from an outside source. Look into accountability programs online or in person. Enlist a trusted friend or relative to help you stay focused and keep on track. The accountability will help you on days when your weight loss motivation is weak or nonexistent.

Weight Loss Management Techniques That Work
When you master these essential principles, you’ll find it easier to manage your weight. For a specific weight loss and management plan that will cover your entire next year, read my eBook (coming this month) on healthy habits that support weight loss. You’ll learn how to manage your weight without feeling deprived or overwhelmed.


How to Balance work and Home?

Author:Cheryl Bowman
www.being40plus.com

One of my biggest challenges is juggling my job and my family. I have always been a working mother and at 40 Plus I am now a working Grand Mother. The beautiful thing about being a Grandmother is that I can look back on how I raised my own children and whatever I did right with my children I can now bestow on my grandchildren. Whatever I did wrong, I can forgive myself, reflect and teach those who will listen. Life has an amazing way of teaching us what we need to know. The sooner we learn the quicker we can move on to the next lesson. ~CB

When you find yourself working more hours than you spend quality time with family and friends, or even quality time with yourself, you are out of balance.
Sure as parents (some single parents) we are obligated to “do what we have to do”. However, if we are completely honest with ourselves a lot of the stress of “having to work” comes from our sense of what is important.

Consider the following when you feel your stress levels increase, or when you find that you are spending more time buried in work that can really wait for morning.

*Schedule downtime

It does not matter who you choose to spend time with. You may have family / friends, or you may want to spend time getting to know yourself. Choose which of the relationships needs pampering and plan quality time that will bridge the gap and help you recharge and create a new buzz in the relationship. Be proactive in your scheduling. Block out enough time to allow you to reconnect, some situations may take longer than others. Make an honest attempt to be present. Turn your cell phone off, and really make a conscious effort to connect.
Try waking up a little earlier in the morning. By taking as little as 15 minutes to meditate, plan, and pray will make a difference in how the rest of your day will flow in a positive direction.

*Stop doing things that you DON’T WANT TO DO

Open up your calendar of events. Surf the page for activity, the events that sound most promising, uplifting and DO NOT zap your energy, attend. Those that don’t, delete, delete, delete! We have to learn to give to people, organizations, hobbies, clubs, etc. that give back to us in terms of positive energy.

Ladies, this is a tough one. But if WE would spend more time at work doing our job and less time chatting on the phone, surfing the net, and wasting time at the water cooler we may be able to leave in time enough to attend some of the family events, meet the girls for a cocktail, or date our significant other. (Hey this goes for me too.) IJS

*Unnecessary errands
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How many times have you had to repeat a route because you forgot to complete something that you planned to do. Organization is key….. I am much more effective when I write myself a note and check off what needs to be done. The things that I cannot or do not complete go on the “things to do list” for the next day. (or delete because it is not a priority)

Think of the things that you can delegate to someone else. Ask for assistance ladies, when you give of yourself, people want to give back to you. Let them!

*Reboot, Relax, & Reflect

While attempting to balance work & home it is imperative that we Reboot, Relax, & Reflect. Shut it down ladies! Rest is one of the most important things that we can do for our body, mind and soul. Nothing is more important than sufficient amounts of rest. Just like your PC, sometimes you have to shut it down and reboot! Not everyone requires the same amount of sleep per night but we MUST give our body what it needs. When your body tells you to rest, and it will, then listen….. Shut it down, and reboot!

Relax, this is not quite the same as sleep. Relaxation is important as well. For me it is quiet time with a book, writing an article, listening to soft music, taking a bubble bath, allow a professional to give me a manicure & pedicure, or deep tissue massage, etc. These are some of my favorite ways to reconnect with my spirit. This is the time that I enjoy listening to that inner voice.

Reflect, how wonderful is it to be able to take all that was done during a day, week, or month and learn from it. While we walk through our daily lives if we are not teaching we should be learning. If we are not talking we should be listening; and because we have two ears and one mouth we should do more listening and learning. If we take this approach how much better will our work/ home balance be? ~CB

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Best Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

MB900409390Looking for fitness over 40 tips that really work? As we age, our metabolism slows down. The key to fighting weight gain in your 40s is to daily boost your metabolism. The following are the best tricks for boosting your metabolism. We specifically choose tips that small enough to feel doable, are easy to work into your daily life and will make a difference in your weight management efforts.

Metabolism Boost Tip #1: Replace Alcoholic Beverages With Water
Studies show that consumption of alcohol results in a drop in metabolic rate (usually the day after.) That means that even a glass of wine in the evening may lower your metabolism the next day, which is especially bad news for daily drinkers.

Conversely, your body metabolizes most effectively if you are properly hydrated. Water is the premium source of hydration (alcohol dehydrates.) If plain old water is too boring, try seltzer water or adding a slice of citrus fruit, sprig of mint or a couple of berries to your glass of water.

If you can’t bring yourself to cut alcohol out of your diet altogether, make a pact with yourself that you’ll drink at least one full glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you consume. This will help you cut down on your total alcoholic consumption while protecting your hydration level. It will also keep you feeling full, which will help you cut down on how much you snack.

Metabolism Boost Tip #2: Go For a Daily Walk Outside Over Your Lunch Break
Experts tell us that exposure to the sun helps our bodies maintain a healthy metabolism, whereas extended periods of time inside (or in a dark or artificially lit environment) stimulates our body to lower metabolism.

A brisk walk boosts your metabolism, even if it’s only a short walk. The exposure to sunshine will also boost your metabolism, and the resulting mood enhancement from being out in the sun (and getting some vitamin D) will decrease tendencies for emotional overeating.

A daily walk will also lower your stress level, which prevent your body from overproducing cortisol. Your body produces cortisol when stressed, and excess cortisol tells your body to hang onto excess fat.

Metabolism Boost Tip #3: Replace Fattening Beverages With Tea or Coffee
Drinking black coffee, green tea, oolong tea and kombacha tea will rev your metabolism while delivering appetite-satisfying flavors into your diet. Green tea and oolong tea are both known to boost your metabolism while delivering antioxidants. Kombacha tea is detoxifying, which means it will help your body function optimally, including improving your body’s ability to process calories and flush out excess fat.

If you currently drink juice, coffee with cream and/or sugar, energy drinks or soda, you are drinking a lot of extra calories each day. Diet drinks also have been linked to weight gain (the artificial sweetener triggers a craving to eat more calories, resulting in higher caloric consumption over the course of the day), so you’re best off drinking water, tea or black coffee all day.

Metabolism Boost Tip #4: Add a Little Extra Spice or Supplement to Meals
The following spices and supplements have been proven to increase your metabolism. These spices and supplements are easy to add to meals (or to take along with meals.) They are simple ways to painlessly (and even deliciously) boost your metabolism.

• Cinnamon – Available to sprinkle onto food or into beverages or to take as a supplement (capsule form)
• Ginger – Can add a shot to tea, smoothies, or to food (especially delicious in stir fry)
• Hot peppers – Choose from any of the spicy peppers and sprinkle onto your meal or add chopped peppers to dishes
• Vitamin C – Take a supplement or add vitamin C rich ingredients to recipes
• Vitamin B – Take as a supplement or add vitamin B rich ingredients to recipes

Join the Fitness Over 40 Effort
Have you found successful ways to boost your metabolism? Are you fitness over 40 victory story? Tell us how you’ve managed to lose weight, maintain your fitness or otherwise beat the battle of the bulge.


Healthy Eating Tips for Fitness Over 40

Looking for the latest in healthy eating tips for fitness over 40 weight loss? Check out this plan for healthy weight loss, tailored for those of us who are over 40 and have busy lives.

Weight Loss Healthy Eating Tip #1: Jump Start Your Metabolism Each Day
According to Timothy Ferriss, author of the “Four Hour Body,” you need to eat something within thirty minutes of waking each day. Why? This jumpstarts your metabolism, alerting your body to the fact that you are going to be burning some calories today and need your metabolism working full speed.

Not hungry right away? Indulge in a coffee with cream and sugar first thing in the morning to get some calories in you. Now is the time to splurge – at the beginning of your day, not at the end, like most Americans are conditioned to do. Change this one habit and you’ll change your life.

Follow up with a 20-minute jog, brisk walk (maybe with the dog?) or workout DVD. It doesn’t have to be a long workout – just enough to get your body moving and your metabolism going.

Then shower, get ready for work, and eat a healthy breakfast. Try something like homemade oatmeal with cinnamon and blueberries or two eggs scrambled with lean ham and plenty of veggies just before you leave for work. The fiber and protein keep you from getting hungry and the indulgent coffee will tell your body you’re not in starvation mode.

Weight Loss Healthy Eating Tip #2: Burn Calories Throughout the Day
Snack on something small but satisfying (nuts, string cheese, celery with peanut butter – keep it to 100 calories) midmorning.

Schedule a lunch break that involves walking, whether that be a quick walk down the block to a restaurant or a walk to the parking lot and back through the building (take the longest route) before you settle in to eat. Keep your portions small and nourishing – ideally a small salad loaded with lean meat (shrimp, salmon, chicken, even lean steak) and garnished with nuts, cheese or fruit. Need something hot? Try a broth-based soup, grilled lean meat and veggies or a stir fry (nothing fried, and go light on the rice.)

If you eat out, decline offer for chips, bread or sugary drinks. We tend to think lunch should be super sized, but you really want to shoot for something around 300-500 calories. This will allow you to eat

Incorporate a late afternoon snack (similar to your midmorning snack) to keep yourself from binging at dinnertime.

Weight Loss Healthy Eating Tip #3: Amp Up the Veggie Intake
When you get home from work, stick something super healthy into the oven while you get in your last work out of the day. Roast an acorn squash (just half the squash, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast at 425 for 45 minutes) or mixed veggies and a chunk of lean beef, pork or chicken in the oven while you walk the dog, finish your workout DVD or get in 20 minutes of weight lifting. By revving up your heartbeat this last time and following up with a healthy vegetable and lean meat-based supper, you will keep your body burning maximum calories.

Weight Loss Healthy Eating Tip #4: Prepare Well For Bed
Indulge in a relaxing bath, dress for bed and relax before the television or with your family for the evening. Enjoy decaffeinated teas (ginger tea is especially good for digesting food) or a glass of red wine (low calorie and good for keeping your insulin production low) as you enjoy your evening, trusting your body is burning calories as you wind down from the day. A good night’s sleep is essential for weight loss, so you’ll want to avoid eating right before bed or eating rich food at night.

Fitness Over 40 Weight Loss Tips
For more tips on losing weight and remaining fit after 40, check out our articles on working out and choosing healthy super foods. Visit www.fitness-over40.com









Short on Time? The Best Five Exercises to Perform on Busy Days

We all have days when we’re short on time and think there’s no way we’ll be able to fit in a workout. This is especially true as we mature, seeing as those of us who are committed to exercise over 40 are also juggling multiple roles – career, family, homeowner, and traveler. That’s why it’s important to identify exercises you can perform on busy days.

The key to these exercises is the fact that they can be done quickly and yet have maximum impact. These exercises are all either high calorie burners or are very challenging for your muscles, giving you an intense mini workout at the beginning and end of your day. This way you can invest about twenty minutes of your day (ten in the morning and ten at night) and still get a decent workout in.

The following are the perfect five exercises for those days when you can hardly keep up with your schedule. Use them together to create a high intensity, effective (but super short) work out. Set your stopwatch when you begin, and move quickly and fluidly from one exercise to the other until your ten minutes is over. Repeat at night before bed.

Jump Rope
While we don’t advise jumping rope for a long period of time if you have weak joints, most people over 40 can fit in five to ten minutes of jumping rope without injuring themselves. Be sure to wear athletic shoes (the more cushioning the better) and to bend your knees while you jump.

Jumping rope is such intense exercise that you’ll notice your heart rate soars within the first minute. Pay attention to your exertion level. You may need to jump rope for one minute, move into another of the five exercises listed here for a minute, and then return to jumping rope.

If you weigh 150 pounds, you will burn about 66 calories in just five minutes of jumping rope. That’s 138 calories if you manage to jump rope for ten minutes! Not bad, huh?

Squats
When you feel your heart rate is getting too high, switch to squats. Keeping your back straight and your weight back, ease yourself into deep squats. Keep your heels on the ground and be sure to not dip deeper than a 90-degree angle, keeping your knees above your toes (not over or past your toes – that can cause injury.) Rest against the wall (in a sitting squat that you hold) or gently squat and stand, squeezing your buttocks each time you stand. This will work your large muscles and burn calories.

Plank
When your legs are really feeling the burn, you’ll want to lie down on the floor on your stomach. Lift yourself into a plank position, keeping your core tight, your back straight and your hands under your shoulders. Hold the plank position as long as you can (without letting your back sink down.) When you are too tired to hold this excellent core-strengthening exercise any longer, get back up and sink into lunge walking.

Lunge Walking
This is an excellent lower body workout that can leave you sore in a matter of minutes. Sink into a lunge, keeping your knee over your front foot. When you stand up from the lunge, step forward (with the leg that was in back), sinking into yet another lunge. Lunge-walk across the room until you feel the burn.

Push Ups
Return to plank position, but this time do at least fifteen push ups. Complete push ups until you cannot do them properly any longer.

Repeat from Beginning Until Your Ten Minutes Is Up
Jump rope until your stopwatch goes off. Take your shower and head out for your day. Repeat the routine for ten minutes before bed. You’ll find this simple 20-minute workout routine (which can easily be split into two ten-minute workouts) is effective for days when you are short on time.


Have some Fruit!

Fruit is one of the healthiest foods you can eat.  There are so many to choose from and they all have great health benefits. They can reduce stroke risk, cholesterol, lower blood pressure, diabetes management, and there low in calories.  Fruits are plentiful when it comes to vitamins and minerals, and don’t forget they are delicious!

Most of us do not get the daily recommend dosage of fruit which is 7 to 8 servings a day.  This is hard to do and fruits can be costly.  Organic fruits are better but they cost more, but you still will get your healthy benefits buying regular fruit. You should try to alternate between your fruit choices to get the maximum benefits.  Buy your oranges and apples one week, and buy strawberries and grapefruit the next week, by alternating each week you will reap the benefits!

Remember fruit has natural sugars and very little effect on diabetes.  Most fruits are very low in calories.  Once you reach 40 and over, you definitely need to keep fruit in your diet or meal plan.  Fruit is excellent for the digestive system, which is very important for fitness over40 as our system changes and it is harder to get rid of the fat! The list below gives you an idea of the calories and health benefits of fruit.

Apples- depending on size can range from 40 to 75 calories. Apples contain antioxidants called flavonoids which help with risk of developing diabetes and they are rich in fiber.

Blackberries– ½ cup ranges between 25 and 32 calories.  There rich in fiber, helps reduce the risk of stroke and cancer.

Oranges- depending on size range anywhere between 30 and 65 calories they are an excellent choice for Vitamin C.  Help fight cancer and protects your heart.

Strawberries– ½ cup between 20 and 32 calories, plenty of antioxidants and Vitamin C.  Helps fight cholesterol and also suppress the progression of cancerous tumors.

Cherries– ½ cup ranges between 30 and 50 calories, high dose of antioxidant anthocyanin. This helps reduce  inflammation and can also help relieve gout symptons.

Bananas- 1 can range between 102 and 105 calories, but plenty of potassium which helps lower blood pressure.

Mango– ½ can range between 46 and 58 calories.  Great source of vitamins A and E. Mangos are high in antioxidants which helps protect vision and reduce the risk of mascular degeneration.

Other great fruits choices are Blueberries and Raspberries both are have lots of Vitamin C and antioxidants.  Raspberries can help prevent cervical cancer.

As you can see you cannot go wrong with any fruit, they all have great benefits. Fitness over 40 requires you to eat plenty of fruit and the nice thing they are all favorable, so enjoy your healthy choice!


How to Count your Carbohydrates

Carbs are starch and sugar which is the Enemy! How much carbs you need depends on activity, age, weight and medication if you need them.  Women usually need 45 to 60 grams and men 60 to 75 grams.

Here is how you caluclate carbohyrate choices:

Divide the number of grams of total carbohydrate by 15 (1 carb choice= 15 grams of carbohyrate).

Total Carbohyrate =24g

24 divided by 15=1.6

Happy Counting!


Total Body Workout

Do you find yourself short on time for workouts? I used to visit the gym 5 days a week because I wanted to make sure I was getting enough cardio and strength training. I realized I can get both of these in one total body workout. I go to the gym now 3 days a week to classes that gives me both cardio and strengh training which equals Total Body Workout. If you are doing gym classes or exercise videos make sure you are getting a total body workout for maximum results. So evauate your routine for the best results for you! Take a Interval Training class or use a exercise video that has both cardio and weight training. Remember muscle takes up less room than fat.


Diversity a must for over 40

Diversity is the key to maximum results. You must mix up your routine to get the most out of your workouts. Today I don’t feel like going to my gym class because of the weather, so I will be working out with one of my exercise videos in my basement. This is nice beacuse I will be doing something different. I love going to my gym classes but the routines are all the same, and if you do the same routines all the time you will reach a plateau. This why I like to mix it up by going to different classes some examples are kickboxing,zumba,bootcamp. I get an added bonus from my workout videos. No instructor exercises the same way so mix it up for maximum weight loss. If you are over 40 it takes a little more to shed those pounds so diversity is a must!