Hungry or bored

.This quote is so true. Often when I start craving something or I think I'm hungry, it's because I'm bored and I have time to think about food. And even more often it is because I'm just thirsty. Next time you have a craving grab some water and give it 10 minutes. You will find yourself not wanting to eat something.

Another thing I've learned since I started following the LCHF/Ketogenic lifestyle is that I have so much more time when I'm not constantly thinking about food. The lifestyle gives you the time to pick up a new hobby which ensures you don't get bored and eat something unnecessary.

So next time you have a craving, ask yourself - am I hungry or bored?

Image: Pinterest

The war on fat

.I'm so thankful for the latest issue of TIME magazine covering fat and the proof that consuming fat is not dangerous to your health. It's wonderful to see our message reaching more people and opening doors to healthy lives. But many are new to the ketogenic lifestyle and will need the right information to be successful.

Excerpt from my book:

Eat more fat, Fatty! and lose weight.

The ketogenic lifestyle is a high-fat, adequate-protein and low-carbohydrate diet. In other words, eating limited healthy carbohydrates and lots of healthy fats. A ketogenic lifestyle means consuming real homecooked meals made out of quality produce, and it means feeding your body wholesome goodness. This also means removing all sugar and processed foods from your diet.

Some people think that the ketogenic diet is a high-protein diet, which is not true. You simply replace the unhealthy carbohydrates (processed foods) with high-quality carbohydrates (vegetables) and replace store bought sauces with homemade sauces made with oil or real butter. You don’t make the portion sizes bigger. You just increase the percentage of fat so that you don’t have to be hungry. It’s that simple.

Don't skip breakfast - or should we?

.We always been told that skipping breakfast will lead to weight gain, but does it really?

I fast (I don't eat after 8pm the night before and not until lunch the next day) two days every week and not only do I have more energy and feel better, I've also lost weight.

The belief that skipping breakfast is bad for you if you want to lose weight doesn’t hold up when subjected to a more rigorous study design, according to the study — “The effectiveness of breakfast recommendations on weight loss: a randomized controlled trial,” published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Workout schedule - results

.I promised last week that I was going to start working out a minimum of 5 hours a week to lead as an example. How did I do? I actually did really good (I even did 5 1/2 hours!), but it wasn't easy to find the time so the schedule moved around a little. Lesson learned - If I don't plan and make exercise an important part of my life - it won't happen. You need to be prepared for life to happen.

Here are my results:

Monday Plan: 30 mins walk after work 30 min weight training (shoulders, biceps, stomach)

I completed the workout this day according to the schedule. I took my daughter with me on the walk who is 11 years old. After the walk I felt like my ears got more exercise than my legs..!

Tuesday Plan: Run 5k at 8pm (40 mins. I'm just starting to run which is why it's taking me 40 mins. I try to cut down on time every time I run to challenge myself) 20 mins weight training (chest, triceps, stomach)

I did this and was able to cut one minute of the run.

Wednesday Plan: 30 min walk in the evening

I wasn't able to do this.

Thursday Plan: Run 5k at 8pm (40 mins. I'm just starting to run which is why it's taking me 40 mins. I try to cut down on time every time I run to challenge myself) 20 mins weight training (shoulders, biceps, stomach)

I wasn't able to do this.

Friday Plan: 30 min walk in the evening

I changed this to an hour run (first time ever!). It felt so good. Afterwards I added 30 mins of weight training.

Saturday Plan: Rest

I did 30 mins of a cardio/weight training DVD.

Sunday Plan: Run 5k at 8pm (40 mins. I'm just starting to run which is why it's taking me 40 mins. I try to cut down on time every time I run to challenge myself) 20 mins weight training (chest, triceps, stomach)

I changed this to an hour run, and 30 mins weights.

What is your workout plan this week? Share your workout schedule and together we can get motivated. Lets live!

Workout schedule

.It's important to me that I live what I preach to my Clients, which is why I'm going to follow the same schedule I give to them. If you are looking to lose weight you need to exercise 5-7 hours a week. I know how difficult it is to find 5 hours for exercise when you have a busy schedule, because I'm struggling with it myself. I'm going to have to change both routines and habits to fit it into my schedule. I actually tried to get up an half hour earlier this morning at 5.30am to take a 30 min walk, without success. I keep on trying to exercise in the morning, but it is not for me. It's important that listen to your body and find a schedule that will set you up for success.

I'm going to following the schedule below this week: Monday 30 mins walk after work 30 min weight training (shoulders, biceps, stomach)

Tuesday Run 5k at 8pm (40 mins. I'm just starting to run which is why it's taking me 40 mins. I try to cut down on time every time I run to challenge myself) 20 mins weight training (chest, triceps, stomach)

Wednesday 30 min walk in the evening Thursday Run 5k at 8pm (40 mins. I'm just starting to run which is why it's taking me 40 mins. I try to cut down on time every time I run to challenge myself) 20 mins weight training (shoulders, biceps, stomach) Friday 30 min walk in the evening

Saturday Rest

Sunday Run 5k at 8pm (40 mins. I'm just starting to run which is why it's taking me 40 mins. I try to cut down on time every time I run to challenge myself) 20 mins weight training (chest, triceps, stomach)

What is your plan? Share your workout schedule and together we can get motivated. Lets live!

This week's workout challenge

.This is one of my favorite workout challenges. It will get your heart pumping and muscles working!

Lets live!

Why am I not losing weight?

.Why am I not losing weight? A question we have all asked ourselves at one point. It's so frustrating when you feel like you are doing everything right, but you are not seeing any results.

Here are some checkpoints to help you ensure you are set up for success 80% food/20% exercise You can't rely on exercise alone to see results. Yes, exercise will help burn extra calories and it's good for your health, but if you are eating more than you are burning, you won't see a change in your weight.

Don't overestimate how many calories you burn during exercise Many people think that you burn more calories during exercise than you are. You also can't rely on the workout machines to show you accurate calorie count. Be modest in your calculations.

Don't eat back all the calories you burn during exercise A lot of people use excercise as an excuse to eat more. Have you told yourself "I worked out today so I can eat this", or "I'm going to workout tomorrow, so I can enjoy this treat now"? Think about it - you burn about 250-300 calories (depending on your weight and speed) during a 30 min run, but a meal at a restaurant is about 1000 calories or more....

Don't underestimate how much you eat Are you tracking your calories and meeting the basic guidelines for a healthy diet to ensure you get plenty of vitamins and minerals? It's easy to lose track or underestimate your calorie intake. Make sure you document and track all of your meals - Here is a helpful template

Are you following the right workout routine? Look over your workout routine to make sure you are getting the right mix of cardio and weight training. Cardio is great for weight-loss, but you still need to incorporate strength training to preserve lean muscle. So it's crucial you get a combination of both. To summaries - keep track of your food intake - keep track of your exercise and don't use it as an excuse to overeat - Look over your workout routine to ensure you doing the right mix of exercises

Happy weight-loss and success!

In case you need a reason or two...

.Happy Monday!

Here are 50 reasons for exercising. Number 50 is of course our favorite! This is a great chart to look at every time you question why you should exercise.

This week I'm going to run three times and do two sessions with weights. What are your plans? Email me and share your plans, and I will help keep you accountable - molander@stellibell.com

Image - Pinterest

Did you know...

....that your metabolism can be boosted through the consumption of spicy foods. Spicy peppers, which include cayenne peppers, cause the body temperature to rise. When the body temperature rises it needs to be cooled, and you burn more calories when the body is forced to go through a cooling process. The key is eating the right spices, in the right quantities, and through the right foods for maximum results. More is not necessarily better so eat it in moderation. A teaspoon daily is a good amount. Add it to a glass of water or your favorite recipes.

Cayenne pepper also benefit your entire circulatory system, your intestines, your stomach, not to mention give your heart muscles an infusion of minerals that is necessary for its proper function. So great benefits all around.

Check out a great organic cayenne pepper here and burn, baby burn!

Triggers for overeating

.I've been thinking a lot lately about what motivates me. In order to lose weight you need to focus on more than just what you eat. You also need to focus on your thoughts and behaviors. What makes you overeat and not exercise, and vice versa? Do you know your triggers for overeating?

Here are some of my triggers:

- I'm an emotional eater. I eat when I'm stressed, sad, tired etc - When I go out to eat with my family and friends I often overeat because "this is a special occasion so I'm allowed to eat" - I sometimes mistake a craving for thirst. As soon as I drink a glass of water the craving goes away - I've been told my whole life to "finish your plate" so I sometimes forget that I need to stop eating when I'm full - If I don't see any progress in my weight or in the way I feel I slip onto the mindset of "I might as well eat anyway because nothing is happening"

What are your triggers? Write them down. By identifying your triggers you will be able to manage and avoid them.

One of my favorite saying to help me fight cravings is - Madlene, you are smarter than that! Why would you fall for some cravings! - I also don't negotiate with myself because no one is better to come up with excuses to eat then I am! These are the best ones - I'm having a really bad day so I deserve to eat this, I don't know if I will be able to eat dinner on time so I better make sure I have a big lunch, I worked out so I deserve to eat a little bit more etc etc. When these thoughts pop up in my mind I stop them right away. I'm worth being healthy

The only cravings I give in to, because they are perfectly fine to eat.

Nike Fuel Band

.I've found one of the best motivator ever! The Nike Fuel band. So far it's motivated me run and lift weights every day since I bought it last week. I'm also taking the long way every time I need to walk somewhere to get extra points. Not only does it motivate me to reach my goal every day, but I'm also competing with friends which helps even more.

Nike Fuel band measure all your activities and shows calories burnt, steps taken, fuel points earned etc. I love that is has a watch too, so that I don't have to wear the band and my watch.

Magic Bullet Coffee

.I haven't been as strict as I should be with the fat, so here we go. Starting the day with a MBC - Magic Bullet Coffee. Coffee with tiny bit of cream, two tablespoons of coconut butter and two tablespoons butter. Yum! I should be in ketosis by this weekend. The menu today:

Breakfast - Magic Bullet Coffee Lunch - Ketogenic/LCHF chicken salad Dinner - Grilled chicken and spinach salad

This week's workout challenge

.It's time to step it up!

I've been doing the weekly workout challenges three times a week. This week I will do this challenge every morning. I think it will be a nice way of kicking off the day. As I've mentioned before I'm not a morning workout person, so we'll see how this goes... But I'm committed! Are you?

Let's live!

Bacon vs. butter

.Have you discovered Google's nutrition comparison tool? It's worth checking out. Using this tool is as simple as searching for two types of food and adding the word "vs." between the two foods, or adding the word "compare" before the two foods.

I did a search for "bacon vs. butter", and I learned that I will get less carbs and more fat if I eat bacon. Who knew?!? So bacon it is!

Check out my search results here.

This week's workout challenge

.This week's workout challenge is a little bit different from the others. Even though Spring is taking its time to show up it's time to get outside to get some fresh air. I also added water to this week's challenge because drinking water does wonders to our health. I'm bad at times with drinking water, so I'm happy to have a challenge that will get me going and keep me motivated. I always feel a big difference in my energy level when I drink lots of water.

Fresh air, burning calories and dehydrating. You can't go wrong with that combination!

Time to be honest!

.Often when it comes to eating and losing weight we are not being honest with ourselves. If we are eating right and moving, we will see results. So if you are not seeing results (feeling good, losing weight etc), you are either eating the wrong food, eating too much or not moving enough. It’s that simple.

Sometimes we also don’t know what we are doing wrong. By documenting everything you eat and your exercises, you will be able to analyze the information and figure out what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong.

Time to be honest! Here are two great templates that will help you get on track.

The Stellibell Weekly Food Journal Template

The Stellibell Weekly Exercise Journal Template

As always, if you have questions, just email me and I will help you get on the right track - molander@stellibell.com

Let’s live!

Stellibell inspiration - health

.This is so true! We want to burn calories, so no excuses this week!

I've done the This Week's Workout Challenge once so far this week, and I ran for 30 minutes on Monday night. Tonight I'm going for another run and ending it with some weight training. You?

Lets go walking!

.Did you know that if you take less than 5,000 (!) steps in a day you are considered sedentary? And if you don’t workout on a regular basis and you sit most of the day, you are at a higher risk for early death, disease and being overweigth.

Walking is a great and easy way to incorporating exercise into your daily routine. If you are taking over 10,000 steps you are considered active. There are many ways to increase your amount of steps every day; talk a walk before work, during lunch or after work, park further away your job, grocery store etc. Instead of sending an email at work, get up from your chair and go and talk with people (my favorite since it also is good for collaboration, team building etc). A great motivator is to purchase a step tracker/pedometer so that you can track your steps every day. Lets go walking!

Protein shakes

Women often stay away from protein shakes because they think they’re only for bodybuilders. It’s true that high-protein shakes can help develop lean muscle mass, which is a benefit for all women, but it’s also true that shakes can encourage fat loss, deliver essential nutrients and even improve metabolic activity. According to the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,” high-quality proteins are more satiating than either carbohydrates or fats, and they may have the ability to improve the body’s metabolism.

I drink protein shakes when I do a lot of weight training (since I want to build muscles), but I also drink them for lunch on busy days at work when I don't have time to get lunch. They are really filling and the Isopure brand that I use also taste good (some protein drinks taste horrible). I'm also careful with not drinking protein drinks which have a lot of sugar or carbs, and this one has none! Cookies and cream, yum!