Well, the holidays are upon us and it’s that time of year of family gatherings, wonderful memories, and, of course, lots of scruptuous food!

Do you already have the thoughts that…”Ya, maybe I’ll just wait until the New Year to begin my diet program.” Or, “There is no point in trying to stick to my plan during the holidays since I HAVE TO eat Aunt Pat’s homemade apple pie or I just HAVE TO eat one of her delicious brownies.”

If you are already succumbing to this kind of ‘all or none thinking’ you are setting yourself up to loosen your belt another notch. This is obviously not the direction you want.

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There always seems to be great confusion surrounding what to eat and when to eat before your workout routine. I want to clarify a few things for you.

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Hello! This is a concern worldwide. How much mercury is in the fish? How many portions should I consume in a week? Where did the fish come from - ocean or farm raised? What does this mean?

From the recent research I did, this is what I can share with you:

1. Sardines and Herring - have the highest levels of omega 3 fats of all fish. A 3 oz. portion equals 1.3-2 g. of omega -3 fats.

2. Mackeral - choose a smaller fish, this will equal less mercury in it. Your best buy will be from sources: Atlantic (Boston), Pacific (Jack), and Spanish (Mack) because of the high levels of omega 3 fats and lowest levels of mercury. A 3 oz. portion = 1.1 to 1.7 g. of omega 3.

3. Salmon - 3 oz. portion = 0.9- 1.8 g. omega 3 fats. Choose from either WILD salmon or better yet, ALASKAN salmon which has cleaner water. A trustworthy farming company that has ‘raised salmon’ is the Atlantic Salmon of Maine.

4. Trout - MOST (use caution) trout farmers use vaccines instead of antibiotics in their fish. Which is better for us, the consumer, since we are not exposed to the antibiotics. Ask questions before you buy.

5. Tuna - canned tuna in water is best because it has less mercury compared to tuna steaks. Also less calories than canned tuna in oil.

Also, tuna steaks are NOT a good choice. They are very high in mercury because they come from older fish and have low levels of omega 3 fats.

Personally, we have at least 2 portions of fish per week. Usually, a trout and salmon. I have canned tuna once per week. If you are pregnant, you should consult your physician as to what is a safe amount of canned tuna to consume.

So why eat fish? Fish truly is ‘brain food.’ We need so much good fat in our diet for our bodies to function optimally. When you consume fish you are getting a your omega 3 fats from a ‘natural’ source. Researchers have discovered that eating 2 servings of fish per week will lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels will drop. You will also be less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease. Another researcher found that if you eat fish on a regular basis ( 2 servings/week) you are 30% less likely to suffer from dementia.

I hope that this helps you to not only make wise fish choices but to also find the fish that you enjoy. The omega 3 fats found in fish are full of so many health benefits!

Cheers to health,

Angie
ISSA-C.P.T.

We truly want everyone to get the most from their workouts. Eating the proper food will give you the energy and stamina you need to prepare your body for the workout and to replenish it afterward.

During our morning walk today we recorded a video of a typical meal plan for the day. Check it out…

Here are some of the meals I eat to help me to SOAR through my Fit Chic Workouts:

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Hello everyone…hope you are all having a great day! For those of you who participated in the 21 Day Unstoppable Fat Loss Challenge - Congratulations on taking this HUGE step forward. We have received amazing feedback from all you. Scott and I feel so fortunate to have had such a tremendous impact during your journey. It has been a ‘life changing’ embarkmant for many of you and we are so happy to have been there to encourage and support all of you. Now you each have all of the ‘tools’ you need to keep moving forward! You will succeed! You are unstoppable!

We will begin TODAY to answer your weight/fat loss questions, nutrition questions, and any other questions related to your health and fitness. Please feel free to ask Scott and I a question and we will do our best to give you the most sound advice we are capable of. Remember we are not doctors and can only answer questions to the best of our knowledge, and within our field of work.

Q: How much cardio should I be doing to achieve maximum benefits while following The Fit Chic program?

A: As we have laid out in the book, you will do 3 days of walking at a brisk pace for 30-40 minutes. We recommend going in the morning on an empty stomach. However, if that does not fit into your schedule, go when you can! We also recommend that you do at least 2 days of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). As you get closer to your goal weight, you can increase your cardio and go for a walk in the morning, then do HIIT training in the afternoon.

Feel free to send in your questions and/or concerns

Have a wonderful day!

Cheers to health,

Angie
ISSA-C.P.T.

Hello everyone…I just want to check in on my first day. I am once again following The Fit Chic Year of Workouts. I will be doing the 10 minute express workouts from my home. I have taken a much needed vacation from my program and feel ready to get back in a routine!

I will also be following Jon Benson’s Every Other Day Diet - Lifestyle Plan as a guide to my food choices. I know that my eating is my biggest challenge so I am looking forward to seeing the great results I have accomplished in the past from his eating plan.

This is what I have eaten today…

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Hello everyone…wow, what a summer vacation! First, I cannot believe how quickly it has gone by. Secondly, I cannot believe how much I am looking forward to ‘September’ and ‘new beginnings.’

We had a few vacations planned and, yes, I did get a bit ‘too relaxed’ about my workout schedule. However, I now feel SO READY to get focused on an action plan and stick to it. I have been working out very hard following Nick Nillson’s, “Gluteus to the Maximus” program. I was also doing the Fit Chic 10 minute Express Workouts. I really noticed more muscle definition in my legs! I am getting compliments on how toned and lean they look. I love that. There are times when I think that my body is ‘used to’ being the kind of shape that it is and I’ve always found it very tough to firm up my legs. However, Nick’s INTENSE leg exercises did bring me to the next level that I needed.

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I’m going to be blunt and honest with you here. If you want to burn fat, discard several pounds, and get into better shape and health, I’ve got some news for you. Looking for a nutrition and workout program that you can follow for life will not do you any good at all. In fact, I believe that the traditional lifestyle approach to fat loss is a bunch of crap. I’ll share my Non-Traditional Lifestyle Approach to fat loss in a moment, but first, here’s why I believe lifestyle plans suck…

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Hey there everyone…there seems to be so much confusion regarding the consumption of eggs and cholesterol in the body. My husband, Scott and I just LOVE to eat eggs. I have at least one or two whole eggs a day. Scott has much more than that! So are we jeopardizing our health over our love of eggs!?

I’ve done some research on my own and this is what I’ve found:

What is Cholesterol Anyway??

Cholesterol is a complex fatty substance found in every living cell. We cannot live without it. It provides the building blocks from which the body makes its own supply of sex and adrenal hormones. Cholesterol can also be converted to vitamin D in our body and used for the calcification of bones and teeth.

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Hi everyone, I just came across an article about the ‘Benefits of Drinking Water’ and I thought it was worth reading. Can you believe that 2/3 of our body weight is made up of water? Wow. Check out the benefits under the title, “Miracle Worker.” I know that many people shrug it off and keep drinking their sodas. However, this really should be taken seriously. It is so simple to do too. Once you get into a routine of drinking it, like everything else, it just becomes a habit.

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