Cantaloupe For Weight Loss

Cantaloupe is a great choice for dieters as well as those who are simply health conscious.  Dieters  can substitute foods high in fat and calories with cantaloupe, and in turn get a low calorie replacement. Among other things, cantaloupe is rich in nutrients and vitamins, which include vitamin C, beta-carotene and potassium. An added benefit of cantaloupe is its high fiber and water content that helps satisfy one's hunger, while at the same time, keeping you hydrated.  

Fuel up on cantaloupe -  it will fill you up and give you a lasting energy boost.  Don't go for those popular yet unhealthy 100 calorie snack packs, mini muffins or granola bars.  I'm an advocate of eating fruit for snacks and a big fan of putting cantaloupe with some water in my Nutribullet  -Filling and delicious!  If you don't have a Nutribullet, use a blender.  How about just eating the fruit  a la carte!

If you are on of those people who MUST eat dessert with your meal, fruit is a sweet, nutritious low calorie choice and cantaloupe is a perfect choice!  I remember when I was growing up my mother would give us yogurt or fruit for desert, only on special occasions were we "treated"  to cookies, pies, cakes and ice-cream!  I remember one day my little brother asked for a tomato and ate it for dessert!  He bit into it like an apple, to this day he is a healthy eater.  Old habits die hard and it is never to late to start a good habit!

"We can make a commitment to promote vegetables and fruits and whole grains on every part of every menu.  We can make portion sizes smaller and emphasize  quality over quantity. We can help create a culture - imagine this - where our kids ask for healthy options instead of resisting them." 

- Michelle Obama

 

Nutri Bullet With Grapefruit It Will Keep Ya Regular!

Here is a great combo for your Nutri Bullet; grapefruit, kale, strawberries and blueberries.  I love using grapefruit, it keeps me regular!  Pectin is an insoluble fiber in grapefruits that acts as a bulk laxative, helping to ensure smooth and regular bowel movements.  

Growing up I remember my parents telling me to "eat an apple a day - it keeps the doctor away!"  My motto: "A grapefruit a day keeps the toilet at bay!"  Grapefruits, strawberries, blueberries and kale are all rich in nutrients, minerals and vitamins that are essential for optimal health as well as cancer fighting and anti aging qualities. If you don't have a Nuri Bullet, get one! Or try to eat theses fruits daily, at least the grapefruit.  

To eat is  a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art. 

- Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Sexy Leg Workout with Jade of Spades™

Summer is almost here, there is still time to sculpt  those sexy legs!  The Jade of Spades™ App is a fun, fast, and simple way to sculpt those legs, just in time for you to show off in your swimwear and shorts!  The key to slimming and toning your legs is to do both cardiovascular work and strength work - that way, not only will you burn calories and shed excess weight, but you will also tone your muscles at the same time.  

For legs, there are two exercises that you will need to do: squat jumps and lunges.  The increase in your heart rate makes this routine a good cardiovascular routine.  Once you have mastered the Jade of Spades™ squats and lunges, you can mix it up by modifying the moves through different combinations.  This will allow you to challenge your legs in a different way, allowing you to maximize your results.  

Here are four great exercise combinations for you to start sculpting those sexy legs.  For those of you that are ambitious, do a different combination every other day.   You will start to notice results in just a week.

Leg Workout Combos using the Jade of Spades of App™
(Descriptions of exercise at  the end of post)

(1) Replace the squat jump with a plie squat and the lunge with lunge jumps.

(2) Replace the squat jump with a weighted squat and the lunge with side lunges.

(3) Replace the squat jump with box jumps and replace the lunges with ice skaters. 

(4) Replace the squat jump with hamstring curls on a stability ball and the lunges with single leg sit to stands. 

Descriptions of exercises:

Plie Squat: Stand with feet a bit wider than hip width apart, toes pointing out, squat down as deep as you can and return to stand pushing up through the heels.

Lunge jump: Do a regular lunge and jump switch your legs in the air.

Weighted squat: Do a regular squat while holding 8 -20 lbs weights at your side.

Box jumps: Stand with feet hip width apart, squat down, then jump up onto a platform  landing softly.

Ice skaters: Stand on one leg,  jump horizontally landing on the other leg moving like a speed skater.  Repeat the movement side to side.

Hamstring curls on stability ball: Lay flat on your back with legs extended on a stability ball, lift up your hips, then using your hamstrings, curl the ball in towards you.

Single leg sit to stands: Start seated and stand up on one leg, sit back down, complete the reps and then switch legs.  Make sure you are pushing through your heel.

Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person's physical, emotional and mental states.

- Carol Welch