A great workout for the lower body and the core, learn how to do the perfect squat.

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Ingredients:

2 cups oat bran
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup nonfat or low-fat vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup fat-free egg substitute
2 tablespoons canola or walnut oil
3/4 cup fresh or frozen (unthawed) blueberries

Instructions:

In a large bowl mix together oat bran, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. In another bowl combine yogurt, orange juice, egg substitute and oil. Add yogurt mixture to the oat mixture and stir until they are well blended. Next, add in the berries. Spritz muffin tin with nonstick spray. Fill cups approximately 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until toothpick/fork stuck in the center comes out clean.

Leftovers keep nicely in the fridge or freezer! You can easily substitute raspberries for blueberries for a different muffin.

Recommended: Now You Can Fill Your Freezer With Delicious Home-Cooked Diet Meals. Save Money - Save Time - Eat Good - And Still Lose Weight.

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By Holly Rigsby, CPT
FitYummyMummy.com

Breakfast is easily the most overlooked solution when it comes to effective fat burning tips. Studies consistently show that people, who regularly eat breakfast, eat fewer calories throughout the day, have better nutritional habits, and weigh less than those who choose to skip breakfast.

When it comes to your fat loss, your goal is to make your body burn more calories. Your metabolism is like a burning fire, how can you make the fire burn stronger without putting something on it to burn? Our bodies are burning fat and calories 24 hours a day, however, calories are burned at the slowest rate while we are sleeping. Without something to jump-start it in the morning, your metabolism may remain in slow motion throughout the day and any extra calories – no matter how healthy - will be stored as fat.

The act of eating and digesting supportive foods frequently, increases your metabolism so you can burn more fat and calories all day long.

How to do it: Eat a supportive meal within an hour of waking. Feel like your always running late? No time to eat? The secret – get up 10-20 minutes earlier and keep it simple. Not only can you increase time spent with your family at the kitchen table, but making time to start your day off with a high protein, high fiber breakfast will boost your metabolism, your energy and your mood. Because breakfast provides you with the energy you need to get through your day, the more energy you have, the more active you'll be and the more active you are, the more calories you burn.

If you are not hungry first thing in the morning, try starting your day with a big glass of water or freshly brewed green tea. Proceed with your morning routine and plan to allow yourself about 10-15 minutes before you walk out the door to eat your breakfast.

If you like to exercise first thing in the morning, eat 30 to 45 minutes before your workout.

Try one of the following options:

1. Eat a light snack – yogurt or a piece of fruit. Eat your regular breakfast 30-45 minutes after your workout.

2. Eat half of your regular breakfast before the workout and the other half about 30-45 minutes after your workout.

3. Drink a meal replacement shake – quick and easy to make and for your body too digest.

Watch out for "Protein/Breakfast Bars". Many of these items seem appealing for they are quick and easy; however the majority of these bars are loaded with sugar and fat. Check the nutrition facts.

Here are some breakfast fat loss favorites: Cereal is a MUST. It's convenient, easy to prepare, easy to eat and full of nutrients – No…"Whole Grain Lucky Charm" does not fall into this category. Be sure to choose your cereals based on the information on the food label.

The top choices should have:

• 5 grams of Fiber or more
• 8 grams of Sugar or LESS
• Sugar not listed among the first 3 ingredients

For all other breakfast options, be sure to include a protein, complex carbohydrate, and fresh or frozen fruit. These are some of my favorites:

• Oatmeal with natural peanut butter, cinnamon and a side of fresh berries.
• Kashi Go Lean Crunch with skim milk and a banana.
• Scrambled egg whites topped with salsa and shredded cheese wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla.
• Meal Replacement Shake with a piece of fruit.

So if you're interested in fat loss, make sure you don't forget – breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

About the Author

Holly Rigsby is a nationally recognized women’s fitness coach, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of the internationally popular e-book – Fit Yummy Mummy - Burn Your Baby Fat & Get Your Body Back. Go to FitYummyMummy.com to get your FREE copy of her special report: "The Five Ways To Boost Your Metabolism."

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Ingredients:

1 pork tenderloin -- (approx 8-ounce)
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/3 cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic -- minced
favorite cooking spray
Fresh mint sprigs

Instructions:

Trim any fat from tenderloin. Cut into two pieces. Cut a lengthwise slit down each piece, about 2/3 of the way through and then flatten. Spritz tenderloin with cooking spray and then sprinkle tenderloin with ground pepper to your liking. Combine marmelade, fresh mint, soy sauce, and garlic. Place tenderloins in roasting pan and pour marmelade mixture over top and spread out evenly. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes or until juices run clear. Garnish with mint springs at serving time.

Recommended: Now You Can Fill Your Freezer With Delicious Home-Cooked Diet Meals. Save Money - Save Time - Eat Good - And Still Lose Weight.

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From the crack of dawn until the edge of night, moms work to keep their families happy and healthy, and usually complain that they have no time to exercise. But, what about time spent with our families? Try combining family time and exercise to keep mom and the rest of the family full of energy.

When your kids have their play time at the park or in the back yard, don’t just sack out on the couch. Find ways to join in with their fun and get a bit of exercise in the process. Create silly drawings on the sidewalk with colored chalk. In the fall, rake the leaves together and take turns jumping on the pile. Just be sure to bag all the leaves when you’re done having fun.

One of my favorite games as a kid was hide and seek. Everyone knows that game. One person is “it” and everyone else has to hide from that person. If you are tagged before making it back to home base, then you become “it”.

Offer to be the first one to count. If you are tired, the process of counting gives you time to get your second wind. Besides, if you start off with kids who are learning how to count, you could be hiding for a long time. When you see the children, have some fun by letting them get at least half way to home base before you chase them. Your energy level will begin to rise and so will the laughter.

Dancing is an activity that qualifies as exercise. People love to do it because it doesn’t seem like exercise. Kids, especially toddlers, love to move to music. Put on some tunes and have a spin around the living room floor. Games like “Ring around the Rosy” combine singing, skipping, and fun.

If you have older children or teenagers, try some video games. I don’t mean sitting on the floor and mashing some buttons on a controller. Newer video games have gone “virtual reality”. These games involve actions on the part of the player that are mimicked by the characters on the television screen. Not only will it be entertaining, your teens can see how coordinated you are—or aren’t.

What about horseback riding? Many moms drive their kids to horse-riding lessons and never think of saddling up themselves. Horseback riding can be a GREAT workout, as you’ll find out the day after you try it!

A family that plays together will get fit together. Set up the volleyball net or some bases in the back yard. A Saturday afternoon game of volleyball, kickball, or baseball is an activity that the entire family can participate in. Invite neighborhood kids to play as well. If everyone pitches in at dinnertime, there will be ample time to enjoy an activity with the kids. Teamwork goes a long way.

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By Holly Rigsby, CPT
FitYummyMummy.com

Would you like to "jump start" your metabolism and lose your ‘mommy belly' once and for all? If so, the following seven tips are exactly what you need to improve your workouts and ignite your metabolism. Try some or all of these tips, but beware, the result may be a number of admiring second glances and the need to pull your ‘skinny jeans' out of the closet.

1. The majority of your workouts should be composed of free-weight, bodyweight or cable exercises.

Compared to machines, free-weight, bodyweight and cable movements often require more skill, create muscular balance, and have a greater metabolic cost. For example, it is more difficult to balance the weights, and to coordinate muscles when performing free-weight exercises. Although this may sound like a disadvantage, it is actually a benefit. By balancing and stabilizing free-weights or cables you are working more muscles through a greater range of motion resulting in more muscles developed and more calories burned.

2. Use exercises that work more than one muscle at a time.

When focusing on fat loss, you can't worry about "shaping" exercises, instead you should use exercises that'll get you the biggest bang for your buck and work as many muscles as possible. Isolation exercises can be used at the end of a workout to work on a specific target area, but they just serve to supplement your core movements.

Virtually every savvy fitness professional is privy to the fact that compound exercises recruit the most muscle groups for any given body part.

If you seek lean, toned muscles and the increase in metabolism that comes with them, you must choose exercises that work as many different muscles as possible. One of the main reasons why squats are superior to leg extensions for improving your body is that they also work your butt, hamstrings and inner thighs in addition to toning your quadriceps while leg extensions focus on just the front of your thigh and don't really offer any other benefit. That same rationale hold true for arm exercises too. That's why dumbell presses and dips will are more valuable for your arms than triceps kickbacks and pushdowns.

A good rule of thumb is to use movements that will allow you to use the most weight. These will have a systemic effect on your body that'll help maintain or increase your lean muscle, and in turn ignite your metabolism.

3. Pair exercises.

Pair your exercises together so that you alternate between upper-body exercises and lower-body exercises or between exercises that target opposing muscle groups (e.g. chest and back).

This type of approach will keep your workouts short and efficient by eliminating much of the downtime that comes between sets of a single exercise since you are working on one movement while resting from another. This approach can also yield huge benefits in your mission to burn fat. Since you'll constantly be moving and keeping your heart rate elevated, you'll be burning far more calories than you would during a typical workout.

4. Keep your reps between 8 and 12.

Through research, it has been determined that the best range for building lean muscle is roughly between 8-12 reps. Since the main focus of your resistance training efforts is to gain lean body mass and stimulate your metabolism, this rep range fills the bill perfectly. "High reps for tone and fat loss" is one of the biggest (and most unproductive) training myths! Somehow the aerobics, yoga and Pilates' community have convinced us that when we perform bodyweight exercises or light resistance training for high reps, our muscles magically take on a beautiful shape without growing or bulging. On the other hand, if you challenge yourself with moderately heavy weights, your body will take on a bulky, unflattering appearance. If you believe this, you probably still believe in the Tooth Fairy!

5. Rest only 30 to 60 seconds between sets.

When you keep the rest periods under one minute, it's easier to stay focused on the task at hand and keeps your heart rate elevated. In addition, it forces your muscles to recover more quickly between sets, along with keeping your nervous system revved up.

If your first movement in an upper/lower body pair is squats, you might want to rest 60 seconds before attempting your second movement. However, if your first exercise is a fairly "easy" exercise, like lat pull downs, you might only wish to wait 30 seconds before doing the second part of the pair.

6. Perform total body workouts.

You must drop the notion that muscle groups work independently of one another. Muscles work together and should be trained that way. Besides, not only does this approach mean less time in the gym, but by working the whole body three times per week, you'll be maximizing the fat burning effect of your program.

7. Cardio is not the cure-all for fat loss.

Cardiovascular exercise aids in the creation of a caloric deficit, but the caloric expenditure during cardio is temporary. Strength training addresses the core of the problem by permanently increasing the rate at which the body burns calories by adding muscle. The best programs will include both strength training and cardiovascular training, but the core or the programs effectiveness is resistance training.

Take these strategies and incorporate them into your workout routine. Not only will you save a lot of time, but you'll also soon see a leaner and more toned body. Not to mention a few more turned heads and the re-emergence of your skinny jeans.

About the Author

Holly Rigsby is a nationally recognized women’s fitness coach, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of the internationally popular e-book – Fit Yummy Mummy - Burn Your Baby Fat & Get Your Body Back. Go to FitYummyMummy.com to get your FREE copy of her special report: "The Five Ways To Boost Your Metabolism" .

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Ingredients:

1 bag frozen cauliflower
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
2 teaspoon garlic
salt and pepper

Instructions:

Cook cauliflower as usual until just tender and drain. Run through food processor, blender, or mash by hand with a masher. Mash in the other remaining ingredients. Salt and pepper to your liking and serve as you would mashed potatoes.

Want a different flavor? Replace 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese with a different cheese like feta, or mozzerella ... or 1/4 cup of your favorite low carb salad dressing, such as blue cheese!

Recommended: Now You Can Fill Your Freezer With Delicious Home-Cooked Diet Meals. Save Money - Save Time - Eat Good - And Still Lose Weight.

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These extraordinary exercises will have you shaking your head in amazement.
By Nick Nilsson

In the course of my experience working and training in gyms, I've seen people doing some incredibly "interesting" exercises. Unfortunately, it's usually because these people have not been properly instructed in exercise technique.

Here are some of the top winners. Remember, these are actual exercises that I've seen people do. I made the names of the exercises up to match the lunacy of how they
look.

DO NOT TRY THESE AT HOME! OR AT THE GYM! OR ANYWHERE!!!

1. Dumbell Hair Combs - Start by holding a dumbell in front of you. Do a front raise with it then whip the dumbell back and over the top of your head like you're combing your hair with it. Make sure to just miss your skull.

2. Hog-tied Face-Rubs - Lie on your stomach on the floor. Grasp your ankles behind your back and rub your face back and forth on the ground repeatedly. Continue until you've had enough.

3. Abdominal Earthquakes - Lie on the floor on your back in the classic start position of a crunch. Now yank as hard as you can on the back of your head up and down and thrash your legs around in the air like you're fending off starving dogs. This evidently works your abs. You will resemble Jello that has just been dropped on the floor. Your face should be as red as a tomato by the time you're done.

4. The Arm Wrecker - Do one cheating, momentum-filled rep of an arm exercise with ridiculously heavy weight then swing your arms around as fast as you can in a circle to get blood to the muscle. This technique will either help your arm grow or will smack the person waiting to use the machine/weights next.

5. Pelvic Demolisher - Stand with your fingers interlocked behind your head. Do a pelvic thrust forward and drop your spinal column down and backwards about 6 inches. This exercise is best done in front of a large group of people.

6. Dumbell Doggy Digs - Bend over at the waist so that your back is rounded completely over like an arch. Your legs should be completely straight and locked out. You should look like you are trying hard to touch your toes but not really succeeding. Hold two dumbells down at arms-length. Now spin them round and round repeatedly just off the floor so that you resemble a dog digging a hole.

7. Pec Rockets - Set the pec deck machine with far too much weight for you to handle safely. Make sure you are very sweaty and slippery before attempting this one. First, use your entire bodyweight to get one arm pad up to the front. Then, throw yourself at the other one to get it to the front. Hold them there for a half-second then get shot four feet out across the floor as you squirt from the machine like a greased banana.

8. Rush-Hour Bench Press - This exercise is done on the vertical seated chest press machine that has a foot pedal to help raise the weight to the starting position. Use this pedal at the bottom of every single rep to bounce the weight back up. Your footwork will resemble that of someone in rush-hour traffic going from 0 to 60 to 0 every 3 seconds.

9. Close-Grip, Behind-The-Neck Shoulder Press - Sit in a shoulder press station, gripping the bar overhead with about 6 inches between your hands. Bring the bar down directly behind your head. Be sure to lean forward 45 degrees and round your back over so that your shoulder joints and lower back each get their fair share of trauma.

10. C.P.R. Bench Press - Start by loading your safe maximum bench press weight onto the bar. Now add 20 more pounds just to be safer. Have your spotter lift the bar off the rack for you. Lower it 2 inches on your own power then allow it to drop and cave in your rib cage. Be sure your spotter is a strong deadlifter before attempting this exercise as you will need them to pull the bar off you at the bottom of every rep. When your spotter has pulled the bar off you after the first rep and is trying to put it back on the racks, yell out "I've got six more reps!"

Remember that this is just a small sample of things I have actually seen people doing. Please be sure when you do your exercises that you take the time to learn proper form and, if you do see someone performing an exercise that is potentially harmful, tactfully assist them.

Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of BetterU, Inc., an internet-based personal training company. He has been training for more than 14 years and has been a personal trainer for more than 8 years. He is the author of the training eBooks "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of", "Gluteus to the Maximus" and "Specialization Training".
Click here for more information on these books.

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By Holly Rigsby, CPT
FitYummyMummy

Have you tried everything under the sun to get a flat stomach, only to come up disappointed? Have you fallen prey to all the gimmicks, fad diets and shameless infomercials promising you that elusive flat stomach that you desire?

Well fret no more, I'm going to let you in on the two ‘secrets' that will help you shed unwanted fat and reveal your toned, flat stomach once and for all.

The first secret for a flat stomach is eating supportively. While this doesn't seem like a secret at all, most women get this wrong in spite of their best – but misguided – efforts. Women have fallen prey to low-fat, low-carb, Hollywood, grapefruit, South Beach and every other over hyped diet that marketers can dream up, all in hopes of shedding those unwanted pounds. But eating supportively is isn't about dieting or deprivation; it's about moderation and balance. While cutting carbs or fats out of your nutrition plan might give you a temporary loss of a couple of pounds, it's typically followed by a drop in metabolism and a weight gain of more than you lost in the first place once you go back to your old eating habits.

So what is eating supportively? Eating supportively is having protein and carbohydrates at every meal. It's grazing on 4-6 meals or snack each day instead of missing meals and then gorging yourself. It's enjoying a healthy breakfast and not drinking your calories. But most of all, eating supportively is enjoying the foods you love in moderation instead of in excess.

If eating supportively is the first secret to a flat stomach, then what's the second? The second flat stomach secret is resistance training. Unfortunately, just as fad diets have stood in the path of women achieving the flat stomachs they so desired, so have the myths of spot reduction and cardio being the best method for fat loss. Late night infomercials have long promoted gadgets that promised to spot reduce those trouble spots that women struggle with and sucked us in with testimonials from fitness models that undoubtedly picked up a nifty paycheck for endorsing their wares. But spot reduction is a myth. Think about it – have you ever met someone with a flat stomach and fat arms? Didn't think so. If spot reduction was possible then undoubtedly one of these happy customers would have toned and tightened their stomach, yet kept their flabby arms.

The other myth that has led women astray is the belief that cardio is the best solution for fat loss. Treadmill manufacturers have sold the virtues of the ‘fat burning zone' and led us to believe that we could plod along on a treadmill watching Oprah and before long a flat stomach would be ours. These two myths have diverted us from the path of what really does work – resistance training. Resistance training is a flat stomach's best friend because not only does an effective resistance training session burn plenty of calories while you're doing it, but it keeps you're metabolism revved long after you're done. One recent study showed that you're metabolism would stay elevated for over 36 hours after a resistance training session.

Try to get that out of an aerobics class.

And there's another benefit of resistance training when it comes to getting a flat stomach. The lean muscle that you gain will raise you're resting metabolic rate and help you burn more fat all day long, each and every day.

There you have it, two ‘secrets' that are guaranteed to boost your metabolism and give you that flat stomach you've been longing for. So ditch the diet books and the aerobics classes and start eating supportively and resistance training. Before long that flat stomgvjhgjhvhgach will finally be yours.

About the Author

Holly Rigsby is a nationally recognized women’s fitness coach, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of the internationally popular e-book – Fit Yummy Mummy - Burn Your Baby Fat & Get Your Body Back. Go to Fit Yummy Mummy to get your FREE copy of her special report: "The Five Ways To Boost Your Metabolism."

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Ingredients:

5 cups 1/4-inch thick peeled sweet potato slices
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions:

Sprinkle potato slices with rosemary. Add garlic, salt to your liking, and oil. Toss slices in oil and seasoning. Spread evenly in a baking dish. Cover with lid or foil, and bake at 400 degrees F for 25- 30 minutes. Remove covering and turn potatoes over. Bake another 5 - 10 minutes uncovered or until potatoes are tender and top is a nice golden brown color.

Recommended: Now You Can Fill Your Freezer With Delicious Home-Cooked Diet Meals. Save Money - Save Time - Eat Good - And Still Lose Weight.

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By EJ Cooksey
URL: FitYummyMummy.com

Fit Yummy Mummy Review

What Is It?

This lifestyle program for busy moms is a comprehensive guide to what’s arguably the most widespread, challenging and frustrating issue faced by moms today: how to get their pre-baby body back. For almost all mothers the changes their bodies incur during pregnancy coupled with the countless responsibilities that motherhood bring spell trouble for regaining their pre-pregnancy figure.

There is no shortage of fitness, diet and fat loss products on the market today. You can find a veritable library of conflicting arguments almost anywhere you choose to seek information on the subject of fitness for women, whether it’s online, at your local library, through contact with personal trainers, or through the (less reputable but nevertheless very common) ranks of wannabe experts: aka, those frustrating people with no qualifications and no practical experience but are self professed experts because they ready the last issue of Shape magazine.

What Sets This Product Apart?

After months of frustration spent trawling through the mass of conflicting information on fitness and fat loss, it was with a mixture of joy and near-tearful relief that I stumbled across “Fit Yummy Mummy”, by Holly Rigsby. As the title suggests, this product is specifically for moms wanting to get fit. Literally all aspects of losing fat and getting fit are covered – and the best part is that it is written specifically for busy moms. The material is presented in a manner both chatty and educational – it’s kind of like having a friendly conversation with a close friend that happens to be a fitness expert (with the added benefit of being able to refresh your understanding of the matter at any given time, simply by scrolling back to the relevant section!)
The tone of the book presents a welcome contrast to the other fitness products so freely available elsewhere on the Net: it’s friendly, understanding of the unique situations moms face, informative, and above all, commonsensical. No unrealistic recommendations, 2 hour workouts, or zero-carb diets here: it doesn’t take long to see that this lady knows what she’s talking about when it comes to mom’s lifestyles (and did I mention she’s a mom too?)

What’s Actually Included?

There’s a quick section on getting started and goal setting along with some morale-boosting advice on how to stay on track throughout the program, and then it’s straight into an action plan to get you started on the path to burning baby fat and getting your body back.

The Supportive Nutrition Plan is next – this is particularly helpful! Every conceivable nutrition issue is covered, from how often you should eat to what you should keep in your pantry. And on top of that, it includes a ‘Create a Menu Planner’ to guide you in creating every meal to support your success.

Next, the Fit Yummy Mummy fat loss workouts are covered, but not without easy to follow explanations of the why’s and the how’s for every part of the workout program. The workout plan even offers four different formats that you can plug into your lifestyle, something not found in any of the cookie cutter fat loss programs on the market. My favorite part of the workout section is that regardless of your exercise (or lack of exercise) background, there is a workout designed specifically for you. And no matter what you fitness level is, none of the workout programs require more than 90 minutes a week.

Finally, there’s a section called the Busy Mom’s Fat Loss Companion crammed with easy to use tools and resources like a goal setting sheet, fitness journal, exercise descriptions and even a ready made grocery list. The author has figured out every excuse and obstacle busy moms have and addressed them all.

Just Because It’s Detailed Doesn’t Mean It’s Confusing

Sound overwhelming? It’s actually very user-friendly. Not only is this e-book packed with sound practical advice and the whole thing is laid out in a very logical and easy-to-understand format, but it comes with a Quick Start Guide to make sure you start acting (and seeing results) fast. The tone of Fit Yummy Mummy light and non-threatening (no scientific terminology here!) and it proceeds in a logical manner from step to step, with plenty of photos and descriptions to ensure that you are doing everything right.

Troubleshooting

In my opinion, one of the best parts: a follow up e-mail coaching series from the author that keeps you on track, gives you daily fitness tips and even healthy recipes. While most moms have the best of intentions, staying on track is tough. This follow up e-mail coaching series is the perfect solution.

The Verdict

Regaining their pre-pregnancy body is a daunting task for most moms, but the author’s personal experience and hands on work with over 250 moms is pretty reassuring; and she certainly knows how to break it down for even the most exercise illiterate. In addition to the main features detailed above, there are plenty of valuable extras included to make getting your pre-baby body back as easy as possible: checklists, do’s and don’ts, printable workout sheets, even ready to follow meal plans!

All in all, two thumbs up from me: when the information on hand is as detailed, easy to absorb, and - above all – reliable as Fit Yummy Mummy, you really can’t go wrong.

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Ingredients:

8 ounce package nonfat cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons chopped green onion
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken breast cuts
2 tablespoons nonfat sour cream
1 teaspoon dried dill
4 (10 inch) low-fat flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
Nonfat ranch salad dressing or salsa

Instructions:

Combine the cream cheese, onion, chicken, sour cream and dill. Spread on tortilla. Place spinach leaves on top of the filling layer. Roll tortllas and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight before serving. Slice into bite size pieces and serve with dip of your choice such as nonfat ranch or salsa. Great to prepare the night before and pack in lunches for the next day. If you slice about 1/2 inch thick you can serve as a pinwheels appetizer as well.

Recommended: Now You Can Fill Your Freezer With Delicious Home-Cooked Diet Meals. Save Money - Save Time - Eat Good - And Still Lose Weight.

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The back and stomach muscles are all affected by one another as they form a girdle around the lower torso. It stands to reason, then, that your posture affects how your stomach looks, and the strength of your stomach muscles affects your posture.

1. Stand Up Straight - This actually has a few different effects.

Slouching accentuates belly fat, so simply sitting up will make you appear slimmer. Proper posture helps improve the strength of your back, which of course makes it easier to maintain proper posture longer. Poor posture leads to back pain, which makes stomach exercises difficult. Having good posture will make it easier for you to work out your stomach muscles and get a flat stomach. A nice straight posture enhances blood flow throughout the body, particularly to the legs and lower back, both of which are involved in many stomach exercises.

So, if you are trying to get a flat stomach, the first step is to simply sit and stand up as straight as possible as often as possible. Do that, and you are already on your way!

2. Back Extension

For the reader familiar with the crunchless crunch, this move will seem similar but backwards. For this exercise, you will need to start by lying on your stomach with your forehead on the floor. You may use a mat or towel to cushion your pelvis and head. Position your arms by your sides, palms up. Contract your back muscles to lift your torso off the floor. Hold the contraction briefly, then release and slowly lower your torso back down to the floor. Repeat for an entire set.

The next part of this exercise begins by extended your arms out above your head (picture a superhero flying through the air). Now lift your legs off the floor simultaneously while keeping your head and arms held in place. Try to imagine your legs growing longer as you are lifting them up. Hold your legs up briefly, then slowly lower them back to the floor.

Doing these two things will help you strengthen your back and correct your posture, which are great first steps to getting a flat stomach. You will also want to continue working on your back muscles and other core muscles, such as the transverse and rectus abdominus. Stomach exercises that work the core will help you straighten up your posture, lose belly fat, and gain muscle tone in both your back and stomach.

As with any workout routine, be sure to consult a professional before beginning and always warm up properly to avoid injury.

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For busy mothers, it is especially difficult to schedule time for exercise with small children, work, and other appointments. Good news—even ten minute intervals of exercise have lasting benefits. The next time you have a small slice of time, fit some cardiovascular exercise into it.

The biggest obstacle to exercise is excuses. When exercise is no fun, any excuse in the book will do to get out of it. If something is boring you will be more reluctant to find the time to do it. Moms, we’ve got to get over this hurdle.

There’s no one exercise that works for everyone. Some people like walking while others like a more vigorous activity. Figure out what you like to do. Once you know what type of exercise would be fun for you, start finding the time to do it.

Start with your morning routine. Moms usually rise early to get the day started for the family. If you wake early to lay out clothes or fix breakfast, do these things the night before. Now when you get up early, you have some free time to go on a brisk walk.

Moms usually make lunches the night before, so why not breakfast too? This can be a great help for the mom who needs to find time to exercise. If breakfast consists of a home cooked meal, switch to an easier menu on the days that you exercise. Cereal bars, cold cereal, or even fruit smoothies can shorten breakfast preparation time.

Get in a quick workout. There are many thirty minute workout tapes on the market these days. Pop the tape or DVD in the player and get started. If a vigorous workout is too much for the morning, try a stretching routine that will get those muscles energized and awaken the entire body.

If afternoons are better for you, set up a schedule with a sitter. Start off with one or two days a week. Ask a friend to watch your children for an hour or so. This will give you time to workout (factor in driving time if you join a gym) and shower and change. An afternoon workout may be just the boost you need to get through the evening at home with increased energy.

A stay at home mom is busy, but has a better advantage as far as workout time. When the kids go down for a nap, pop in an exercise video and get to work. If that won’t do, consider a day out with other moms in the park.

Take turns watching the children while the other moms take a jog or a bicycle ride. Depending on how long you plan on being in the park, everyone in your group should get at least twenty or thirty minutes to exercise. Having someone else to exercise with is also a plus.

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Exercise is a very important part of a person’s daily life. It keeps our bodies working in peak condition even when our minds are not. Daily exercise is essential for optimal cardiovascular health and a long life.

Moms are bad about recognizing the importance of exercise. In the grand scheme of things, exercise falls low on our list of priorities. We try to eat right, but we forget about the other half of the healthy life equation.

Any and all physical activity is beneficial in some way. Even ten minutes of activity three times a day adds up over time. So, when half an hour or forty-five minutes is not in your schedule, three or four ten minute sessions might be doable.

Our brains continue to be strong as we age. It’s the other muscles that have the problem. As much as a pound of muscle a year is lost after age forty. Resistance training rebuilds muscle mass to fight back against the persistence of time.

Muscle burns more calories than fat. With small children in tow, busy moms need all the muscle they can manage. Muscle mass keeps the metabolism high and the body burning calories even during sleep. That’s what a busy multi-tasking mom needs—exercising in her sleep. How efficient is that?

Exercise, particularly aerobic activity, increases blood flow. As the heart works more efficiently through regular exercise, more blood, and therefore more oxygen is delivered to the tissues of the body. Increased oxygen to the brain can increase awareness and focus.

Increased circulation also increased energy. As a busy mom, energy can be in short supply when it comes to all that we have to accomplish on a daily basis. Regular exercise releases endorphins.

As a result of this release of endorphins, the body experiences a state of “eustress”. This is like a state of euphoria. We are better able to deal with situations in our life because we are achieving a better outlook because of exercise.

Hectic schedules produce signs of wear and tear on the body. We are more susceptible to illness because our immune system is compromised. Exercise promotes a healthy body and mind as well as decreasing obesity. Even a ten percent reduction in body weight can take a person from the brink of borderline diabetic to the normal range.

Exercise reduces the level of stress in our lives. Multi-tasking is easier with a clear head. You don’t end up making silly mistakes due to a fuzzy head. Ever end up at the soccer game with your daughter in her tutu because you dropped her brother off at ballet practice by mistake?

Healthy eating habits are only half of the solution. Incorporate exercise into your daily routine, even if it is only twenty minutes each day.

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Ingredients:

2 large cooking apples, such as Jonathan or Granny Smith, peeled, if desired, and finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 slightly beaten egg
1 1/2 cups milk
3 tablespoons cooking oil or melted butter
Cooking oil (optional)
Unsweetened applesauce (optional)

Instructions:

Combine apples and lemon juice in one bowl. In another bowl mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinammon and salt. In a third bowl beat egg lightly with milk and oil. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir. You want the batter to be lumpy so be careful not to overmix. Fold in the apples. Heat griddle or skillet. Drop batter by spoonfuls and cook pancakes as you usually would. Watch for edges to be set and start to brown, then flip. Serve topped with apple sauce or more apple slices instead of syrup.

Try swapping out the apples and using pears instead for a different flavor!

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Having a baby is a beautiful and exciting thing. But, what about all that baby belly fat around your midsection after the baby has been born. The best way to go about shedding this baby belly fat is proper diet and an exercise routine, which may not always be easy to do for a new mom still recovering from the pregnancy. The good news is that working out and getting rid of belly fat will give you more energy, so you can spend more quality time playing with and caring for your new baby.

Here are a few simple exercises to get your on your way toward getting rid of belly fat. As with any workout routine, be sure to consult a professional before beginning and always warm up properly to avoid injury.

Progressive Crunchless Crunch

This stomach exercise works your abdominals as well as a crunch does, but without the strain to your neck and back. Begin by sitting in a chair, placing one hand above and below your belly button in order to feel the contraction of your abdominals. Take one big deep breath, so your midsection expands completely. Then let the breath out as you pull your belly in, imagining your belly button being pulled inward toward your spine. Finally, briefly contract your abs five times. Do a full set of repetitions of all three parts. You can also try this exercise lying on your back. Try both to see which one helps you feel the contractions of your abdominal muscles better.

Contractions

This exercise starts off very much the same way as the last one, but involves quicker steps and more repetitions. Begin by sitting in the same position as in the progressive crunchless crunch, and taking the same deep breath. This time, instead of bringing your belly all the way back, exhale and bring it just about halfway. Then pull your belly button back toward your spine. Contract and hold for a count of one. Repeat from the half-exhalation point. Do the whole thing one hundred times.

Crunchless Crunch

As you can tell from the name, this stomach exercise is very similar to the first. Instead of making a few stops as you exhale a deep breath, however, this exercise consists of just one move. To start, either lie or on your stomach or kneel. You might want to try both ways and see which helps you feel the exercise better. Relax your body as much as possible, then try to use only the lower abdominals to move your belly button toward your spine. Hold for ten seconds. If holding for ten seconds feels easy, hold for a longer period. The goal is to hold the contraction until you either cannot feel it, or you feel other muscles working harder than the transverse abdominus. When you feel this, let the contraction out.

If you start doing these stomach exercises at home in your spare few (very few) minutes, you can get rid of belly fat and be fit and trim in just a few months--just in time to start chasing after Junior once he/she learns to crawl!

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Who says you can't enjoy potato salad on your low carb diet? This recipe has 3 or less carbs per serving and is super easy to make!

Ingredients:

1 medium size head of cauliflower(broken into small florets)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
3 green onions
1 finely chopped jalapeno pepper or 2 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper (optional)
salt and pepper
optionally - 2 packet sugar substitute depending on how you like your potato salad, it's good with or without this!

Instructions:

Cook cauliflower in boiling water until tender (about 10 minutes) Drain and rinse as usual. Now for the salad making part. Get out your big potato salad bowl and mix together mayo, lemon juice, mustard and sugar subst. if you're using one. Add your veggies to the mixture (cauliflower, green onions, and peppers) and toss until well coated. Salt and pepper to your liking. Chill and serve with anything you might normally serve potato salad with.

Perfect for cookouts and lunchboxes.

For different flavors alter your veggie inclusions. Try different kinds of peppers. Great with any casual meal.

Recommended: Now You Can Fill Your Freezer With Delicious Home-Cooked Diet Meals. Save Money - Save Time - Eat Good - And Still Lose Weight.

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Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs Ground chuck or lean ground beef
16 ozs Cheddar or american cheese, shredded
1/2 lb Bacon, cooked crispy
1 Large tomato, chopped
1 Large onion, chopped
2 Large dill pickles, chopped

Instructions:

Brown ground beef and onion in large skillet or dutch oven, drain as usual and return to pan. Layer on half of cheese, stir into mixture to get melting, stir in tomato, then top with rest of cheese and crumbled bacon. Cover and simmer to let cheese melt. Serve with pickles or cucumbers on the side, and a salad.

This also goes great with a mock potato salad and is the perfect compliment to your low carb cookout.

Recommended: Now You Can Fill Your Freezer With Delicious Home-Cooked Diet Meals. Save Money - Save Time - Eat Good - And Still Lose Weight.

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Anytime is a good time for Yoga.

You can do yoga stretches and postures in bed, while driving to work or anytime during the day.

Hundreds of fitness seekers use their lunch hour to squeeze in exercise and take off extra pounds. Practicing yoga in the middle of day is the break some people need to face the rest of the afternoon.

Kick Back Log-on Pose

Interlace your fingers behind your head. Relax your elbows and shoulders. Smile, breathe and stretch your elbows back. Let the tightness release slowly.

E-mail Meditation

While reading your e-mail, remember to breathe slowly and focus your attention on your breath. Make the out-breath two times longer than the in-breath. This will immediately calm you.

Photocopier Stretch

Place your hands on the edge of the copier or desk. Stand back with feet apart. Drop your head and chest. Breathe and relax your shoulders.

Close-the-deal Warrior Pose

Raise your arms to the side with fingers pointed. Take a big step to the side, with your right foot out and knee bent, your left foot planted, left leg straight. Keep the upper body straight and strong, shoulders relaxed. Relax into the stretch -- don't hold your breath. Return to a standing position, switch sides and repeat.

Recommended: Yoga techniques

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Ingredients:

2 teaspoon Olive oil
1 1/4 cups chopped zucchini
1/2 cup sliced onion
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 teaspoon Dried oregano
2 garlic cloves minced
1 cup dried tomato
1 (15oz) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed & drained
2 rosemary sprigs
1 cup chopped spinach
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon Black pepper
1/2 cup (2 oz) pre-shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

Heat oil in skillet. Add zucchini and next 5 ingredients, sauté 10 min. Stir in tomato, beans, and rosemary, cook 5 min. Add spinach, salt, pepper to zucchini mixture. Cook until spinach wilts. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover & let stand until cheese begins to melt. Discard the rosemary sprigs before serving.

Recommended: Now You Can Fill Your Freezer With Delicious Home-Cooked Diet Meals. Save Money - Save Time - Eat Good - And Still Lose Weight.

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"I don't exercise. If God wanted me to bend over, he'd have put diamonds on the floor," comments Joan Rivers. It's true, many of us simply do not enjoy fitness and exercising. It's also true that every single person in this world can benefit from a proper fitness and nutrition program.

Use these top 10 fitness tips to get your workout routine started today. As always, talk with your doctor before starting a new fitness or nutrition program.

Tip #1- Set Realistic and Tangible Goals

Simply stating that you want to lose weight is not effective. Be specific. For example, I want to lose 5 pounds of fat by February 14th.

Tip #2- Measure Your Progress

Take your base measurements and then re-take them on a regular basis. You cannot measure your progress if you have no idea where you started from.

Tip #3- Log Your Workouts

Each and every workout session should be logged. Keep all of your fitness logs in a binder and create your very own success journal.

Tip #4- Mix Up Your Cardio Workouts

Cardio sessions should vary in intensity and in length. Try new cardio activities and keep things fresh.

Tip #5- Strength Training Is Not Just for Men

Everyone should strength train. Strength training builds muscle and increases bone density. Train all major muscle groups 1-3 times per week.

Tip #6- Rest

Get 7-9 hours of deep sleep each and every night. Also rest your muscles by not working out 1-2 days each week.

Tip #7- Warm Up

Warm up for 5-10 minutes before every workout session. You should feel a rise in your body temperature.

Tip #8- Cool Down

Cool down by stretching out your entire body. This helps increase flexibility and decrease muscle soreness the next day.

Tip #9- Nutrition Is Half the Battle

Eating small meals throughout the day complements your fitness routine. Learn to eat healthy and kick diets out of your life forever.

Tip #10- Stay Motivated

Find a workout partner. Sign up for a marathon. Work with a personal trainer. Do whatever it takes to remain committed. If you falter, let go of guilt and get back on your routine as soon as possible.

These top10 fitness tips build the foundation of a safe and effective fitness program. Anyone can drop body fat and gain lean muscle mass by following a realistic workout and nutrition plan. Stay the course and you will be healthier and happier for it.

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Lynn VanDyke is the creator of A Step-by-Step Guide: How to Melt the Fat & Gain a Life. It is the only program that shows you exactly how to eat, exercise and succeed with life.

The 400+ page interactive program comes complete with over 100 exercises, 130 daily menus, 63 ways to stick with it and loads more. Learn more by visiting: Melt the Fat



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Ingredients:

1/3 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup lowfat/fat free hot cocoa mix
1 tablespoon peanut butter
cup of coffee
plastic wrap

Instructions:

Mix together oatmeal, cocoa mix and peanut butter. Pour coffee and stir in until mixture is well moistened. Spread mixture on a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a bar. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.

Make several at the beginning of the week and you'll be set all week! Mulitply everything by 5 and you'll have plenty of bars for the workweek. These are way better than store bought prepackaged fattening ones!

Recommended: Now You Can Fill Your Freezer With Delicious Home-Cooked Diet Meals. Save Money - Save Time - Eat Good - And Still Lose Weight.

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